


An Unexpected Development

by Misery_and_Company



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Growing Up, Motherhood, Parenthood, Protective Toph Beifong, Unplanned Pregnancy, adult gaang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misery_and_Company/pseuds/Misery_and_Company
Summary: Toph Beifong has always known who she is.  The world's greatest earthbender, the inventor of metalbending, and a shining member of the group who ended the Hundred Year War.  With the war behind them, Toph thrives as Chief of Police in Republic City.  At least, until an unexpected development throws her life completely off balance and leaves her questioning if she is truly as strong as she thinks.This story follows adult Toph as she navigates the strange and scary reality of motherhood, taking place between the end of ATLA and the beginning of LOK.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Toph Beifong/Sokka
Comments: 45
Kudos: 183





	1. A Strange sort of Sickness

Republic city was a place of cultural renaissance. After the Great War had finished, Avatar Aang began to search the world over for areas of unrest, and it grew increasingly clear that though the war was over and finished, its great horrors had left the nations deeply divided. Alongside his friends, Aang built Republic City as a model he hoped would bring the nations together, where people of all cultures and abilities could live as one and, for the most part, things had gone smoothly. But diversity brought its own set of troubles, and with the recent boom business and technology crime soon followed. 

Being the Chief of police in a city like this one was a great responsibility, one that the avatar knew he could only entrust to his close friend Toph Beifong. After some persuasion, she accepted and the city had become a safer place with her in it, but on this particular morning Toph wondered if she should have just stayed at her Earthbending Academy.

“Ugh,” she groaned, tossing her sheets to the end of her bed and running her hands through her terribly bed tossed hair.

Filing reports was her least favorite part of the job. She often let the papers pile up on her desk at the station until there was no more room for her to even prop her feet up. The last three days she’d spent staying late at the office with her secretary making sure she was caught up, and that morning she was feeling every minute of missed sleep. 

“Still,” she thought, “it makes for a good distraction.”

She hadn’t gotten used to the silent apartment yet. It had been two weeks since Kanto had moved out and although they ended things mutually, there were times where she had to remind herself not to feel for his footsteps on the floor or listen for the sound of his breathing beside her at night.

“Damn him,” she cursed, slamming a closed fist on her nightstand. 

She was Toph Beifong, Chief of Republic City Police Force, the first metal bender, and the greatest earth bender of all time. If anyone could get over something as silly as heartbreak it was her.

She drew her fist toward her, pulling her metallic uniform flush against her body in a single move. Fixing her hair was the tricky part. Back when they were kids travelling the world, Katara would sometimes help her and for the last few months Kanto stepped up to smooth down any out of place strands. Without him, she just had to put on her headband and hope for the best.

“Don’t think any criminals will stop to look at my hair anyway,” Toph muttered as she made her way to the bathroom.

It only took a few moments to finish getting ready, but her internal clock signaled that she was pushing it after trying to get a few more winks of sleep before finally wrestling out of bed. 

“No time for breakfast,” she thought. “Not that I’m hungry for it anyway.”

Her hand moved to her stomach which felt oddly unsettled.

“I knew that takeout was a bad idea,” she complained to the empty room.

For a brief second, she considered calling in sick and taking a day to rest, but the thought of ditching work didn’t sit well with her. Besides, if Katara got word she wasn’t feeling well she’d be over in a matter of hours, and Toph wasn’t up for a lecture about her messy apartment just like last time.

“I’m twenty-seven years old, Sugar Queen. I’m not a little kid anymore,” Toph argued.

“Neither of us are,” Katara deadpanned she held her squirming daughter who was quickly sliding off her protruding belly.

She was four months pregnant and already sounded exhausted.

“Hey, nobody told you to have three kids,” Toph remarked, crossing her arms matter of factly.

“Children are a blessing,” Katara answered, “and little Bumi already helps clean up after himself.”

At the mention of his name, the boy stopped running around at her feet and peered up at his mother with a grin before sneezing and wiping his nose on her sleeve.

“There’s a booger on your arm, isn’t there?” Toph asked smugly.

Katara only sighed, knowing the argument was lost.

Now, Toph smiled at the memory and made her way out the door. 

The route to the station was engrained in her memory and her seismic sense gave her the ability to dodge any other pedestrians or carts without worry, but that morning she found it hard to focus and accidentally bumped into a passerby.

“Sorry,” she uttered quickly, catching her balance in a few steps.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” a deep voice yelled.

The earthbender clenched her teeth, biting back a retort with the reminder that she had to save face as Chief. 

She took a step to leave when a hand clasped her shoulder.

“Don’t you know who I am?” the voice said.

She grabbed the man’s wrist, using the metal cuffs of her uniform to squeeze firmly around them until he let out a small yelp.

“Do you know who I am?” she shot back.

“Toph, It’s me. I was just joking around,” the man said, already kneeling on the ground holding his arm.

Her eyebrows raised as the gruff voice softened to a familiar cadence. 

“Sokka!” she yelled, immediately bending the metal away from him.

Before he could fully stand Toph nearly jumped to envelope him into a hug, throwing him off balance once more.

“Easy there,” he said, returning the embrace before releasing her back down to the ground. “I thought you were going to arrest me.”

“I was,” she laughed.

“I thought for sure you’d recognize me. My voice disguises have never worked before,” he replied.

A single eyebrow quirked. He was right. Usually she could’ve picked him out of a crowd just by the familiar beat of his heart or pace of his walk. Something was off.

“Yeah, well this time you weren’t trying to pose as your sister,” she came up with a quick excuse.

He chuckled. 

“How is she, by the way?” Toph asked, eager to change the subject.

“She’s still very pregnant and moody at that,” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck with his palm.

As next in line for Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and Councilman for the city, Sokka spent much of his time between the two widespread locations. The tribe had seen significant growth since the end of the war, and Hakoda needed a lot of help in recent months which meant Toph had been deprived of her mischievous pal for nearly a month. 

“I hated to leave her when she’s so close to giving birth, but I knew I’d been away from the city for too long. Working from across the world isn’t easy,” he continued.

“Like you’d be any help if you were there. I didn’t need earthbending to feel you pass out when Bumi was born,” she jested, giving him a firm punch on the shoulder. 

He winced, rubbing his arm. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“So, what are you doing out this way?” Toph questioned, grabbing his elbow as they began again down the street.

“I was actually coming to see if you wanted to get some breakfast before the council meeting. They last so long, and I figured you could update me on what’s been going on in the law side of things,” Sokka answered.

“Actually, I already had breakfast today,” she lied. 

She didn’t see the need to worry her friend so early in the morning, but she didn’t think her stomach could hold on with the smell of greasy cooking meat filling her nose.

“Alright,” he said quickly, “Lunch then?”

“Uh, can’t we’re ordering in today. I promised everyone I’d buy them lunch if numbers were down this week and boy are they motivated by food,” she said.

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but she’d begun to feel bad about brushing him off. She wanted to sit and chat as much as he did.

“Dinner?” she offered.

Maybe her stomach would have settled by then, she thought.

“I can do that,” he said.

Toph could hear the smile on his lips and couldn’t help but mirror it with one of her own.

“Let’s go to that hot pot place again. I’ve been hankering for some more of that precious meat,” he said, nearly salivating over it already.

“Sounds good,” Toph replied. “Have you heard from Suki lately?”

She winced at her own words, forgetting how tender the subject was.

“Not for a couple of weeks. She’s been with the other Kyoshi Warrior’s in the fire nation for over three months straight now,” he said, his voice on the verge of exasperated.

“That sucks. You know, if you talk to Zuko I’m sure he’d give her a few weeks off to come see you,” Toph tried.

“Nah,” he answered dejectedly. “The last time she wrote she said she thinks we outta take a break.”

“What?” Toph remarked.

She knew their relationship for the past year had been rocky, but she never saw this coming. If anything, she was shocked they hadn’t got married yet, but she knew that was a bit ironic coming from her.  
Her parents were appalled that Kanto had moved in with her before even getting engaged, but she never cared. The whole marriage thing just wasn’t for her, she decided long ago and now, she was glad she did. Divorce papers would’ve only been another thing to add to her pile of work now that she and Kanto had split ways.

“I know. We’ve just both been really busy lately we hardly have time for each other. I think she’s right though; a break could do both of us some good. Gotta admit, it’s been a while since I’ve been single. I don’t really know how to act,” Sokka chuckled.

“Well, join the club,” Toph said, forcing a grin on her face.

“Seriously? You and Kanto,” he guffawed.

“Yep,” Toph said simply. “It’s no sweat though. It was fun while it lasted.”

“What happened?” Sokka questioned carefully.

She adjusted her grip on his forearm, shifting uncomfortably.

“I showed up from late shift to him with his bags packed. He said it wasn’t working anymore, something about me not being affectionate enough and never taking his dreams into account.”

“What a jerk!” Sokka shouted, his muscles tensing under Toph’s hand. “Where is this guy, I’d like to give him a piece of my mind.”

“No, Sokka!” Toph scolded. “He’s not worth it and anyway even if I let you who knows where he is now. He said sticking around Republic City was my dream, not his. I think he joined some travelling convoy. Said he need to find himself.”

“Good riddance,” Sokka spat. “I never liked that guy anyway.”

Toph only laughed. Who knew all it took was one conversation with her childhood friend to make heartbreak feel a little better.

With her seismic sense, she could tell they were only a few steps away from her stop and pulled her arms from around his lead. 

“Well, my shift starts now. I’ll see you tonight, Snoozles,” she waved, walking toward the building. 

x x x

“Stop! Republic City Police!” Toph yelled.

She’d been making the last of her afternoon patrols when a nearby businesswoman came running after a thief who’d apparently stolen money out of the register when she wasn’t looking.  
The culprit was nothing more than a teenager, but a slippery one at that.

“Why do they never stop?” she complained, already using her metal cables to lurch her forward. 

With every impact of cable into building another seismic shake sent a picture into her head, and she could feel the boy jut into an alleyway. She landed with practiced balance onto the ground, unable to continue propelling herself in the narrow corridor. 

Instead, she ran after him, waiting for the perfect opportunity earth bend his footing away from him. 

“Stop now!” Toph ordered once more.

“No way old lady!” the teen fired back.

“Old!” she scoffed.

With a single slide of her feet against the earth, the boy tripped over a raised bit of dirt and fell head first into a pile of garbage. 

“Heh, how’s that for old?” she boasted, sending a plate of metal to secure the boy’s wrists.

But before it could make contact the boy threw the bag at her and used fire to propel himself onto a rooftop above. The policewoman dodged the attack and cursed herself for not having the slick boy already.

With a stomp, a great pillar of earth lifted her into the air, and she stepped cautiously onto the slanted roof beside her. She didn’t feel his footsteps and listened closely for anything to locate him. It was difficult with so much street noise bustling around her, but a loud grunt followed by a thump helped her hone in on him. 

Her arms moved in a swift motion, sending a slew of small rocks toward him. She sent them with enough force to knock him down, but not to injure him seriously.

“Give it up, kid,” she urged, making a bridge between the roofs and running toward him.

He tried to scramble back to his feet, but Toph had already sent a metal cable that latched around his ankle, pulling him to the ground again. In a last-ditch effort, the boy threw a ball of flame at her that was quickly met with a plate of metal from her uniform bended to shield her. 

Without hesitating she shackled the boy’s wrists, and it seemed for now he knew there was no escape.

“Chief!” an officer called, running to be by her side. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got things handled,” she said nonchalantly, holding out a flat palm for emphasis. 

“Take him in for questioning. We need to find out who his parents are and make sure they know what he’s been up to,” Toph continued.

A second officer then appeared, awaiting instruction.

“He threw the money in an alley just down the street. Go make sure that lady knows we caught him, I’ll go fetch the bag,” Toph said. 

“Yes ma’am,” the second officer replied.

Normally, catching a thief was one of Toph’s most exciting parts of her day. Anytime she could spend chasing after baddies reminded her of her days with the Gang and got her away from the monotony of paperwork, but she didn’t revel in having to incarcerate such young culprits. There was no joy in it, not like the satisfaction of getting some dangerous thug off the streets that had been a threat to the citizens for years. 

He’s just misled, she thought as she walked back to the alleyway. Through vibrations she could feel the sack laying on the ground, but as she rounded the corner she stopped as she felt all the wind knocked out of her. Her heartrate increased rapidly, and the air was suddenly heavy as it poured into her lungs.

She clung to the wall for stability, hunching over in attempts to catch her breath.

“Something is definitely wrong,” she said to herself through rugged breaths.

“Chief Beifong!” an officer called, quickly rushing to her aid.

“I’m fine,” she said stubbornly, holding an arm between her and her colleague.

“Are you sure ma’am? I-“ the officer started.

“Yes,” she insisted, cutting him off. “Just didn’t sleep well.”

After a few seconds she returned to a somewhat upright posture, and her breaths became a little easier. Though still concerned for her wellbeing, the officer kept his distance knowing that Toph wouldn’t be pleased if he didn’t follow her orders.

“Go ahead and take this to her,” Toph said, handing him the bag full of money. “I’ll be there in a few.”

“Yes ma’am,” the officer answered hesitantly before running off.

“No way should I be winded,” Toph thought to herself. “That kid was a decent bender and pretty light on his feet, but I’ve taken down guys twice his size and twice as fast without breaking a sweat.”

Now, sweat poured off her brow as if she’d just finished a total workout.

“Maybe a visit to Sugar Queen isn’t such a bad idea after all,” she admitted.

x x x

“Tough day at work?” Sokka asked from across the wooden table.

“You could say that,” Toph replied, rubbing a sore muscle beside her neck.

“Is something going on?” Sokka questioned further, the air of concern lacing his words. “You seem off your game today. Is it Kanto? Because I swear if he-“

“No, no,” Toph denied, waving her hands for him to stop. “It has nothing to do with him.”

_I think_.

“Well what is it? We’ve been friends since forever, Toph. You can tell me,” Sokka pleaded.

She hated it when he sounded so sincere. She much preferred the goofy, carefree Sokka.

“I’m just not feeling great,” she admitted finally. “I think I haven’t been getting enough sleep.”

“You’ve barely touched a thing on your plate. It’s not just a lack of sleep,” he argued.

“Yeah. You’re right,” Toph said quietly.

She pushed her food around with her chopsticks, spreading sauce over the plate like a piece of modern art.

“Look, I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but I think you should go see Katara. Maybe she can use some of her healing water stuff on you and make you get back to your usual self,” Sokka said.

“I can’t take off work,” she tried.

“Yes, you can. In fact, I can’t remember the last time you took a day off since Kya was born,” Sokka reasoned.

“She’s due to give birth any day now. She doesn’t need me to come down there giving her things to do,” Toph replied.

“She’s fine and don’t forget she’s as stubborn as you are. If I tell her you’re sick and didn’t go see her we both know she’ll fly Appa up here herself to kick your butt.”

Toph laughed, shaking her head at the thought. The two hadn’t had any kind of battles since they were young, but Toph knew that Katara was a fearsome power to behold, and Sokka was right, even though it pained her to think it.

“Fine. I’ll go this weekend,” Toph gave in.

“Good,” Sokka said, contently slurping down a bundle of noodles.

Her stomach had been threatening to make her sick since they’d walked in the restaurant, but her childhood friend’s noises finalized the deal, and Toph went running to the restrooms before losing what small amount of lunch she did have.

Sokka trailed after her, pounding on the door of the restroom and asking repeatedly if she was okay.

Toph couldn’t answer him between lurches, but the nausea finally subsided enough for her to clean herself up and make the shaky walk back to the door.

“Make it tomorrow,” Sokka said sternly.

Despite Toph’s protest, Sokka called for their ticket and left the restaurant early, not even waiting for their waiter to bring them to go bowls in eagerness to get her home safely.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she argued as he led her to her apartment. “I could’ve waited until you finished eating.”

She could almost feel his glare boring into her face.

“We can go out to eat some other time. When you aren’t sick,” Sokka chided.

“Well I can’t just up and leave tomorrow. The other officers need to know I won’t be there well in advance or I’ll be letting them all down,” Toph asserted.

“You’re going tomorrow if I have to tie you down like a hog monkey and fly you there myself,” Sokka responded candidly. “There’s nothing going on that the others can’t handle so you won’t be letting anyone down. I’ll go by the station myself in the morning to let them know.”

“But,” Toph interjected.

“No buts! If something bad happens to you because you don’t go now, then you could be out of the job for even longer. You have to take care of yourself, Toph.”

Toph hung her head, knowing there was nothing she could say to change his mind.

When they finally reached her apartment, Sokka insisted that she rest while he made her some tea. It wasn’t Uncle Iroh’s, but it was the best she could expect from the nonbender and it was made with care, which Iroh would argue made it sweeter.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay over here tonight?” Sokka asked gingerly. “I can stay on the couch, no problem.”

“I promise I’ll be fine. If anything happens, I’ll make sure you let you know. I just need some sleep,” she said. And she wasn’t lying. A sudden wave of exhaustion took over her, making her eyelids heavy and every muscle in her body tired.

“Okay,” Sokka said. “I’ll be here early in the morning to take you to the airship.”

“Thank you,” Toph replied, though not sure that the simple phrase could truly convey enough gratitude.

She waited until she felt him shut the door before she laid down. A single tear ran down her face as she pulled the covers over her. In that moment, the most powerful earthbender felt something she’d rarely felt in her whole life. Afraid.


	2. Just a Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Toph visits Katara at the Southern Water Tribe to uncover the truth behind her strange illness. A discovery is made, for better or worse.

Airships and boats were two of Toph’s least favorite modes of transportation, and her journey put her on both for several hours before arriving at the Southern Water Tribe. It felt odd being all bundled up in winter clothing after Republic City was in a balmy heat wave, but she was instantly grateful for the extra layers when walking off the ship’s ramp. 

After visiting the tribe several times, she still had yet to grow used to the fuzzy visions she got of the land when wearing boots and trudging through ankle deep snow. Without any earth readily available, Toph felt all the more vulnerable, though she still kept a few pieces of metal and the bracelet of meteorite on her at all times. 

She was proud of herself for making it the entire trip without retching on anyone, but even the deep sleep from the night before didn’t abide her exhaustion. It reminded her of the sleepless nights they had running from Zuko’s crazy sister on Appa’s back, only worse, there was no explanation for it.

Her body was in no imminent danger, yet it had been continuously betraying her for the past two days.

“Aunt Toph!” a voice called out, footsteps thundering over the ice and diving into her legs with a warm embrace.

“Good to see you too, Bumi,” Toph smiled, ruffling the boy’s already unruly mop of hair. 

He had the same spunk of Sokka already at such a young age. No wonder Katara’s patience was running thin.

“Bumi, what did I say? You know she’s not feeling well,” an easily recognizable voice chastised.

“He’s fine, Twinkletoes. I’m not gonna get trampled by a six-year-old,” Toph said, accepting the avatar’s hug.

Much like Sokka, Aang had grown much taller over the years. Though she had her own growth spurt, he still towered over her in a way she thought she might never get used to. 

“Katara is waiting for you. She’s got everything all set up,” Aang assured, giving Toph his forearm to hold onto.

The walk to their home wasn’t long, and halfway there a familiar friend perched on Toph’s shoulder.

“Long time no see Momo,” Toph smiled.

The lemur monkey screeched in return and gave a hearty shiver before flying back through a window to the warmth of the fireplace.

Appa gave a deep rumble at the smell of Toph, and she greeted the fuzzy bison with a few scratches under the chin, a spot she hadn’t forgot after all these years.

“I think he misses everybody,” Aang chuckled. “Bumi doesn’t quite understand the term gentle yet.”

“Like we were gentle with poor Appa. He was our ticket across the world. Several times,” Toph reminded.

“Yeah but he gets restless. Maybe he misses the adventure,” Aang thought aloud.

“Don’t we all,” Toph said quietly.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been back to the city in a while. I really thought the baby would’ve made an appearance by now,” Aang apologized.

“Nobody expects you to miss the birth of your child, Aang. Besides, we’ve kept everything under control while you’ve been gone. It’s really nothing,” Toph reassured.

It instantly grew a few degrees warmer when they entered the door, and Aang helped Toph peel off her heavy coat.

“Bumi, can you hang this up for your aunt Toph?” he asked the boy.

“Sure!” he answered, scampering off excitedly.

“So, Sokka tells me you haven’t been feeling well,” Katara entered the room with Kya hiding behind her legs.

“News travels fast around here,” Toph muttered.

“He was worried about you. He sent a messenger hawk out last night that got here early this morning in case you flaked,” Katara said grimly.

Toph grimaced, feeling her cool glare from across the room.

“It’s not that bad, really. Is that Kya back there hiding?” Toph tried to change the subject.

Katara sighed and bent down to her young daughter, “Sweetie, go say hi to Aunt Toph.”

Toph felt the little girl take a few anxious steps forward and pause just before reaching her.

“Don’t worry, I don’t bite,” Toph reassured.

“Depends on who you ask,” Aang joked quietly and received a quick elbow to the ribs for it.

At that, Kya began to back away slowly, still untrustworthy of the woman she’d barely ever met. A strange feeling twisted in Toph’s gut, not nausea but something else. 

“Here,” Toph said, crouching toward the ground to make her size closer to Kya’s. “I have something for you.”

The girl watched as Toph pulled out a small piece of metal and bended it skillfully into a snowflake the size of her palm.

“Wow,” Kya said, taking a step closer. 

“It’s all yours little lady,” Toph said, holding it out for her. 

“What do we say?” Aang urged.

“Thank you Aunty Toph,” Kya said in a petite voice while grabbing her new toy and running off to show her older brother. 

A warm tingly feeling welled inside her and bade off her exhaustion, if only for a moment.

“Don’t worry, Sugar Queen. I made sure there weren’t any sharp edges,” Toph said.

“Thanks,” Katara replied, pulling her into an embrace.

It was a bit difficult, given her large stomach wedged between the two. Toph placed her palm flat against Katara’s belly, feeling for the vibrations inside. There it was, a strong and tiny heartbeat.

“It’ll be an airbender this time,” Toph said. “I can feel it.”

She could almost hear Aang grinning at the prospect.

“We’d better hurry up before it gets here,” Katara said finally, escorting her friend to a room down the hallway.

“What’s been going on?” Katara asked gently.

Toph explained everything. The nausea, the fatigue, even the shortness of breath.

“Hmm, I have a few different things in mind. Why don’t you lay down for me?” She said, helping Toph to a cot.

“Sokka told me about Kanto. I’m sorry, Toph,” Katara said.

The warmth of water enveloped her stomach as the waterbender worked her magic.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Toph replied curtly. “It was nice while it lasted, but it’s time for me to move on. I’ve got more to worry about than him.”

“Yeah, but you shouldn’t push yourself too hard in the meantime,” the motherly girl fussed. 

“It’s no big deal. If you can just patch me up, I can be on my way back to Republic City in no time,” Toph concluded.

“No, Toph,” Katara said, the water retreating from Toph’s abdomen.

“No, what?” Toph asked.

“This isn’t something I can just heal away. Why don’t you stay here with us tonight?” Katara ushered.

Toph could hear the uneasiness in her voice and feel the sudden increase in her heartrate. She was holding something back.

“What are you talking about, Katara? What’s going on?” the words came out on the side of panic as Toph sat up and pulled her shirt snug against her body.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.”

“Just spit it out,” Toph bellowed.

She had a feeling deep in her gut, but it couldn’t be true. It was a bug or a flu. _Not_ …

“You’re pregnant. It’s hard to tell exactly how far along but I’d say somewhere around six weeks,” the waterbender admitted.

Toph felt her stomach sink and an array of intrusive thoughts poured into her brain.

“Pregnant?” she said in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”

“I mean, did you and Kanto . . .” Katara trailed off, not wanting to upset Toph any further.

“I’m not twelve. I know how it happened, but it can’t. I can’t be a mother, Katara. Not me,” Toph’s words were desperate.

Fear tingled through all the nerves in her body, and she felt all her muscles tense at once.

“Everything is going to be okay, just calm down and we-“ Katara started.

“No. It’s not okay!” Toph shouted.

A light knock came from the door.

“Sweetheart, is everything alright?” Aang asked.

“We’re okay, Aang,” Katara said, attempting to calm everyone down.

“I have to go,” Toph decided suddenly.

She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she couldn’t stay there. 

“No. Stay here with us. I need to make sure everything is going as it should, you can’t just leave,” Katara called after her, but Toph was already headed out the door. 

She pushed her way past the avatar and threw open the door to their home, trudging out into the frigid air without even stopping to retrieve her jacket.

“Toph, wait!” Katara yelled, trying and failing to run after her.

“Katara, you can’t chase after her in your condition. What’s going on?” Aang demanded.

Toph shivered violently as a gust of freezing wind fought her with every step. She had to get off this ice burg and get back to Republic City, there were people there counting on her as Chief of police to protect them. They weren’t waiting on some pregnant lady who couldn’t even take care of a plant, let alone a child.

“Toph, stop!” she heard Aang shout.

“Leave me alone,” she yelled back, her hot tears the only bit of warmth left. 

She didn’t need his help. She didn’t need his pity. She just needed to wake from whatever nightmare this was.

“You’ll freeze to death out here like this. Please come back inside,” Aang coerced. 

Let it happen, the cruel thought wriggled its way into her mind like the cold creeping into her veins. Her footing slipped, bringing her to drop abruptly to her hands and knees. The adrenaline that pumped through her softened the blow, but the cold bit through her clothes. She reached out with numb fingers in the snow, struggling to find the strength to stand.

“You have to stop, Toph. For the baby,” Aang pleaded.

Toph’s cloudy eyes opened wide, hot trails of tears streaming down her face. A baby. An innocent tiny human growing inside her. She splayed her fingers, already red at the tips, against her stomach closing her eyes and pulling all the power she had left in her to feel and there it was. As faint as an insect’s wings, a heartbeat echoing alongside her own. 

She barely felt Aang’s hand grasp her shoulder and didn’t put up a fight when he lifted her into his arms to carry her back to warmth. Another wave of exhaustion washed over her, an invisible enemy she had no desire to fight. 

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Aang asked Katara after placing the girl on a spare bed.

“She’ll be okay with time,” Katara answered quietly, laying a hand on her own belly and leaning into her husband’s chest.

x x x

“Aunt Toph! Aunt Toph! Dad said I should come get you,” Bumi burst into the room, pulling on her arm repeatedly.

It took her a moment to get her bearings, with a foggy mind that much resembled the morning after a celebratory drinking session at her favorite pub in Republic City. Her body ached, like she’d been in battle and lost. Horribly. 

Pregnant. The word floated about her mind, and she still struggled to believe it true even after feeling the heartbeat of her unborn child herself.

“Hurry!” the boy urged, bouncing eagerly from foot to foot.

“What is going on?” Toph asked, her throat still raw from the day’s earlier events.

“Mommy’s having a baby!” Bumi explained.

Toph’s thoughts were brought sharply into focus, and she tossed the blankets covering her legs quickly to the ground before taking Bumi’s hand as he led her down through the house.

Toph had been there for Bumi’s birth, just outside the room with Zuko and Suki who all sat excitedly in wait of their first nephew to spoil. No one else seemed to be as affected by Katara’s screams as Toph was. Without sight, her hearing was impeccable and the unnatural sounds of one of her best friends crying out in pain wasn’t easy to ignore or forget. Then, it riled a natural instinct to come to her aid, but now it only filled Toph with fear.

Bumi brought her to the door, pushing the back of her legs intently toward it as if it were his personal mission to deliver her there. 

“Dad says I can’t go in yet, but he sent me to go get you,” the child informed.

“Good job, Bumi,” Toph said halfheartedly, giving the boy a small pat on the head. “Now go find your grandpa.”

The boy did as told, scurrying off to find Hakoda and his sister.

With her hand on the door, Toph hesitated, feeling three bodies shifting around inside and the soft sound of her friend who whimpered in pain. With a deep breath, she opened the door and peeked her head around the corner.

“Toph,” Aang sounded relieved.

He stood by Katara’s side, holding her hand as she pushed.

“Bumi said you needed me,” she replied, taking a wavering step inside.

“Come here,” Aang urged.

“It’s almost over,” the midwife encouraged. “We just need one more big push.”

Toph’s heart thundered in her ears as she stepped toward the Avatar who reached out to clasp her hand.

“Here,” he said, laying her palm down on Katara’s shoulder before he moved to the other side to hold his wife’s hand.

Toph was confused and afraid, but she stood her ground, unsure really of what else to do.

Her teeth clenched tightly together as Katara let out a final guttural yell and then, crying. The infant released all the air in his lungs at once in long wails that normally would’ve made Toph cover her ears, but in that moment it was beautiful. 

“I wanted you to be here,” Katara managed through labored breaths. 

Any words of response were stuck in Toph’s throat, and all she could do was rub her friend’s shoulder in return. 

“It’s a boy,” the midwife announced, walking over to present the renewed parents with their son. 

His wails were quickly dissolved into quiet coos as Katara spoke to him, and Aang ran his finger gently over the infant’s forehead. 

“Tenzin, I want you to meet your Aunt Toph,” Katara said, pulling her hand down to the baby’s cheek.

It was softer than anything she’d ever felt and for some reason, fresh tears pooled in her eyes.

“Here, hold him,” Katara said, moving Toph’s hand under the towel the baby was wrapped tightly in.

“No, I- I can’t,” Toph said shakily, but it was too late to argue. Katara had already lifted the child up to Toph’s chest, giving her no choice but to cradle him in her arms.

She could feel his tiny limbs squirming inside the wrap as the baby cooed a final time before his small fingers wrapped firmly around her own.

“Seems like he trusts you already,” Aang remarked.

“He’s strong,” Toph said finally. “Like his parents.” 

She gently returned the child to his mother who accepted him carefully.

“Like his Aunt too,” Katara added. “Even if she doesn’t always believe it.”

Toph’s hand moved absentmindedly to her lower abdomen. Outwardly there was no sign yet that she was with child, but with eyes tightly closed she imagined holding her own baby close to her chest and pride swelled inside her.


	3. Ready or Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara offers Toph some words of encouragement. Months later, Toph prepares for the birth of her child.

“I still don’t think this is a good idea, Katara. I just don’t see myself cut out for being a mom,” Toph argued while Tenzin cried in her arms.

“He’s just tired. Keep rocking him, and he’ll fall asleep,” Katara reasoned.

Without protest but still skeptical, Toph gently bounced the swaddled baby from side to side. After a few more moments the crying died down and finally silence.

“This still doesn’t prove anything,” Toph whispered harshly.

“I hate to break it to you, but your baby is coming whether you’re ready for it or not. And trust me, no one ever feels ready for that kind of responsibility, but when they hand your baby to you for the first   
time and you feel this perfect little thing you know you personally created laying in your arms, it all just falls into place,” Katara explained gently.

“Yeah right,” Toph scoffed. “You’ve been training for this your whole life, Sugar Queen.”

Katara grew quiet, knowing Toph was right. After all, the earthbender was never the most motherly. In fact, helping to raise her was one of Katara’s most difficult tasks as they travelled the world as kids. All the same, she knew Toph could handle it and wanted nothing more than for her to see that herself.

Seeing her friend look confused and helpless was not only unfamiliar but unsettling. Toph Beifong was not easily frightened or even surprised. The look on her face when Katara told her the news was new ground for both of them.

“Have you decided yet,” Katara spoke up, taking her child from Toph to lay him in his cradle, “if you’re going to tell him?”

A muscle in Toph’s jaw contracted, as if she were chewing the words up before spitting them out. 

“No,” she replied finally.

“No you aren’t going to tell him, or no you haven’t decided?” Katara pushed.

“I don’t know,” Toph admitted, exasperated.

She sat down on a stool in the kitchen, rubbing her face with her hands and through her hair that, for once, hung past her shoulders. 

Katara moved quietly behind Toph, gathering her jet black locks into her hands and twisting them skillfully.

“It’s okay. You have plenty of time to make a decision,” Katara soothed her.

The gentle tug of Katara braiding her hair was almost therapeutic. She never let her when they were children, but in that moment, she wished she had. 

“The whole reason Kanto left was because he didn’t want to be tied to Republic City by me and my job. The choice was clear, me or his dreams of travelling the world. He made his decision,” Toph said.

“And you don’t think this would change his mind?” Katara asked calmly, finishing the last section of the braid with a twist. 

Toph took a deep swallow of the lukewarm tea in front of her, slapping it down on the counter with a firm fist. 

“What if I don’t want it to?” she said.

Katara wasn’t sure how to respond. It was truly a complicated situation, and having met her soulmate as a teenager, she didn’t feel qualified to give much advice. 

“I think. . .” Katara started, “I think you’re one of the strongest most capable women I know and if you don’t think Kanto should know then you shouldn’t tell him. And even if you do tell him, and he doesn’t step up to the plate then I know of a few other men in our lives that would be happy to fill in when necessary.”

Toph felt a strange numbness fall over her that she was certain didn’t come from the special morning sickness tea Katara made for her. It still seemed so unreal that this was even a concern. In a matter of minutes her entire world had changed, and it would never go back to the way it was before.

Suddenly an even more daunting question came into focus.

“How long until I have to notify the force?” Toph asked.

Everyone would know then. The press would have a field day and none of her colleagues would treat her the same.

“It’s best to let the higher ups know as soon as possible so arrangements can be made. They’ll have to assign some of your field work until after you come back from maternity leave,” Katara replied.

“So, no more patrols?” Toph sighed.

“I’m sorry, Toph. Nothing that could potentially harm you or the baby,” Katara said, placing a comforting touch on her friend’s arm.

“This sucks,” Toph whispered dejectedly.

“Well, I just can’t wait to see him or her running around and playing with Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin. It’ll be just like the old days,” Katara fantasized.

“Heh, let’s just hope my kid doesn’t hurt twinkletoes Junior too bad,” Toph said, a smirk playing on her lips.

The weight of the situation wasn’t lost on her, but the thought of her own little terror running around kicking butt helped.

“Hey! You shouldn’t underestimate any of them. Kya is already displaying promise for being a skilled waterbender, and Bumi practically worships the ground Sokka walks on. It’s only a matter of time before he starts trying to learn his fighting styles,” Katara argued. “And don’t forget about Izumi either. She’s a sweetheart, but she sends looks that can kill.”

“My kid will have them all eating dirt,” Toph laughed, holding one hand over her stomach.

Katara only smiled. It was the most happiness she’d seen out of Toph since she’d arrived. 

“We’ll see,” the waterbender said. “In the meantime, you need to make sure you get plenty of rest. No straining yourself and no skipping out on checkups, I don’t care how busy you get up there. I want to keep a regular eye on you and the baby to make sure things are going as they should,” Katara instructed.

“Yes, mother,” Toph jabbed.

Katara narrowed her eyes but continued on. Over the years, she’d learned that the easiest way to get through to Toph was by drilling it into her head until some of it stuck.

“I’ve already made Aang promise me to keep an eye on you when he gets back to the city, and good luck getting Sokka to give you any space. He would barely leave me alone the first time I was pregnant, always doting on me even months before Bumi was due,” Katara said.

“You haven’t told him yet, have you?” Toph asked anxiously.

“No. I haven’t told anyone other than Aang,” Katara assured.

“Good. I want to put it off for as long as possible,” Toph determined.

“Being pregnant doesn’t mean you’re weak, Toph. It just means you have that much more to protect,” Katara encouraged.

“Yeah,” Toph admitted, “I guess you’re right.”

Katara moved around, grabbing both Toph’s hands in a gentle embrace.

“Plus think of all the fun stuff you’ll get to do now, like pick out a name and decorate a room,” the waterbender went on.

“Fun for you maybe,” Toph laughed. “I’m no good at that kind of stuff.”

Before Katara could lay on another layer of encouragement, a messenger hawk perched itself in the windowsill of the kitchen, giving an introductory screech.

“You poor thing,” Katara said, opening the window and allowing the creature inside. “Sokka must be working you to death.”

Toph heard the telltale crinkle of a scroll being unrolled and by the sound of it, the message was long.

“What does it say?” she asked.

“He’s stuck in Republic City until at least next week. Some gang of thugs made a threat on the council and now they’re keeping them under lockdown until the ones responsible have been caught,” Katara revealed.

Toph stood quickly, sending the stool backwards in one move.

“I have to go,” she said urgently.

“There’s nothing you can do, Toph. You can’t go chasing after them you could get hurt,” Katara warned.

“You know this kid isn’t even here yet and it’s already a pain in my-“

“Aunt Toph!” Bumi entered the room at an excited jog.

“Shh, Bumi. Your brother is sleeping,” Katara whispered.

“Kya wants to know if you will go penguin sledding with us this afternoon,” the boy whispered.

Toph couldn’t contain a smile as it spread across her lips. She could feel the toddler hiding behind her brother, peering up at her.

“I’d love to,” Toph said to a chorus of the sibling’s excitement, “But I’m afraid I’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“Your Aunt Toph is still sick,” Katara elaborated, but was quickly shut down with a raise of Toph’s hand.

“We shouldn’t lie to them,” Toph said.

The way she figured it, she’d be doing a lot of explaining over the next few months, at least until the size of her belly gave everything away for her. She may as well practice on a few kids first.

“You see,” Toph started shakily, “I’m going to be having a baby soon, and I have to be careful to keep it safe.”

The words felt awkward tumbling out of her mouth. She pasted on a light smile, squeezing her eyes shut for emphasis. Perhaps, she thought, if she could convince these children that this were a perfectly normal and happy occasion, she could eventually convince herself the same thing. Noticing her friend’s struggle, Katara gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

“A baby?” Bumi said, astonished.

“Yep. A stinky, crying little baby,” Toph chuckled.

“What she means,” Katara interjected, “is you’ll have another baby cousin to play with soon.”

“That’s awesome!” Bumi announced.

Toph felt little footsteps grow hesitantly nearer, and she instinctually bent down to be closer to the little girl.

“Can I listen?” Kya asked innocently.

“Uh,” Toph uttered, unsure what exactly she meant.

“The baby isn’t quite big enough yet for you to hear it sweetie,” Katara explained, stepping in.

Toph’s smile grew, naturally this time. She remembered then that Katara had a special listening device that could amplify the baby’s heartbeat. 

“I promise I’ll come back in a few months when you can hear it, okay?” Toph reassured the girl, giving her head a gentle pat.

Toph would never be the mother Katara was, and she knew it. But if her kid was anything like her niece and nephew, maybe it would all be worth it, Toph thought to herself.

xxx

She thought that the most difficult part of pregnancy would be finding the courage to tell her parents or even giving birth itself, but perched on the end of her bed Toph realized that bending over to reach a half eaten piece of toast she’d dropped on the floor ten minutes ago might be her most daunting task yet.

“Alright you little freeloader,” Toph said aloud, “if you don’t get outta here soon I’m gonna have you start paying rent.”

Katara told her that talking to the baby was healthy and helped with social skills later on. Baby talk wasn’t Toph’s specialty, so for the last seven months she’d been talking to her stomach just like she would to anyone else. Even if it made her feel a little crazy.

“You’d better be worth all this trouble, kid,” she said between grunts, lowering herself slowly down the side of the bed until her fingers barely grasped her target.

As she lifted herself back up, a sudden jolt sent vibrations down her spine. A kick.

“Hey, no sass mouthing,” Toph warned her stomach.

Katara said she’d never seen a baby so active before even being born. Aang joked that it was probably trying to earthbend already.

A smile stretched over her face at the thought. Kanto was also an earthbender, which meant it was almost certain that her son or daughter would be too. 

“I plan on teaching you everything I know,” Toph announced to her otherwise empty apartment. “We’ll start with the basics, of course. But don’t expect me to go easy on you.”

The baby kicked once more, as if in response to its mother’s words.

Toph’s muscles ached as she stood. As she neared the end of her final term it seemed she grew bigger every day, and her back was cursing her for it. Merely standing took an abnormal amount of effort and walking to the trash bin to throw away her scraps brought on a bout of heavy breathing.

“Metalbending is something we’ll save for later,” she went on, rubbing her sore shoulders. “But before any of that you’ve gotta make your grand entrance.”

Toph felt the vibrations of footsteps approaching her front door.

“Come on in, Katara,” she said, not even bothering to wait for the girl to knock.

“You know if you were anyone else, I’d say that its creepy you knew it was me before I even got to the door,” Katara said as she entered.

Toph shrugged nonchalantly, “I’ve heard your footsteps enough to know it’s you coming from a mile away. That and the fact that you’ve visited nearly every day for the past two weeks.”

“I just want to make sure you’re doing okay. The baby is due any day now, and I couldn’t forgive myself if I missed it,” Katara explained, sitting down a sack on the kitchen table.

“What’s that?” Toph asked, approaching the girl.

“I bought you some fresh fruits and veggies from the market a few blocks over,” Katara said proudly.

Though she appreciated it, Toph frowned at the prospect. The waterbender encouraged her to eat healthy for the unborn infant inside her, but for the last two weeks all she wanted was bread. In a roll, from a loaf, it didn’t matter, just bread. 

“You really didn’t have to do that,” Toph urged.

“It’s not a big deal. Honestly, it was nice to take a stroll through the market without the kids running around and hanging all over me,” Katara admitted.

“You left them with Twinkletoes?” Toph asked.

“He and Sokka said they could handle them for the morning. They’re mostly surveying the land that’s still available around the city so it’s a good outing for the kids,” Katara said.

“And a good break for you,” Toph laughed.

Katara smiled sheepishly. There was nothing in the world she adored more than her children, but every mother needed a break.

“And how’s this little one doing today?” Katara asked, placing a hand over Toph’s protruding belly.

“I tried to enforce an eviction notice but so far it seems the baby isn’t complying,” Toph complained.

“It’s a baby, not a criminal. It’ll come when it’s ready. Do you have everything you need set up?” Katara questioned, taking a look around the room.

Toph had sculpted a crib out of metal that was already positioned beside her bed and filled with blankets and pillows that Katara and Aang gifted to her months before. She’d even made a mobile from a light colored metal that hung over where the baby would sleep. It featured a snowflake similar to the one she’d made Kya months earlier as well as various other shapes that would keep the child entertained for hours.

“Yep. Everything’s as ready as it’s gonna get,” Toph confirmed.

“What about you?” Katara asked hesitantly.

Since her friend left the Southern Water Tribe, Katara had fretted over her endlessly. Toph was easily the strongest and most stubborn woman she knew, but this was a new experience for her. One that obviously left her uncertain of herself and her future. 

Just as Katara foretold, Sokka had remained loyally by Toph’s side throughout the pregnancy. Checking in on her and ensuring that she never overexerted herself even at work. And though she tried to hide it through a veil of pride, Katara knew that their support was greatly appreciated. 

“Right now, I’m just ready to get on with it,” Toph offered honestly. 

Most women feared the actual process of giving birth more than anything else. The pain was something that Katara herself wished on no one else even her worst enemy, but in Toph’s case, Katara worried that what came after would be her biggest challenge. 

Parenting a child alone wasn’t something Katara could guide Toph through. She promised herself that she would be there every step of the way in order to help where she could, but none of her experience applied. All the same, Katara stood by her friend’s decision not to tell Kanto. Toph knew him better than any of them, and she knew that if anyone could handle a situation like this it was her.

“Have you picked out a name yet?” Katara asked.

“Simple. If it’s a boy Jin or a girl Lin,” Toph declared.

Katara laughed, “Only you could boil it down to two simple choices.”

The blind woman shrugged, “It’s only complicated if you make it that way.”

In reality, she’d put much thought behind it. Some nights after hoisting herself into bed she would consult with the child, calling out names with only the occasional rumble of her stomach in response. Still, it made her feel less alone, like someone else were helping her with the decision.

“It took me and Aang months to decide on our names,” Katara replied, laying out all the items she bought side by side.

“Really? I thought you both just wrote down all the names you liked and started having babies until all of them were marked off,” Toph joked, giving Katara a light punch on the shoulder.

“Ha Ha, very funny,” Katara deadpanned. “You’ll get to see what it’s like soon. After the baby starts growing up, you start to miss those little fingers and toes and even their smell. They drag you in like that, with their cuteness and next thing you know you’re wanting another.”

“The less diapers I have to change, the better. This is a one-time deal, got it?” Toph argued.

“Whatever you say,” Katara mocked.

Toph lowered herself carefully into a chair, propping her feet up for the first time in a while. She’d only been on leave from work for a week, but she had to admit it felt nice to take a break. Without a doubt, she missed all the action of being Chief of police, but she’d grown easily exhausted over the last few months confined mainly to meetings, briefings, and the bane of her existence, paperwork.

Her eyes had just started to close when an unexpected knock on the door brought them back to alert.

“Who could that be?” Katara said, moving to open the door.

Instinctually, Toph tapped her foot gently on the ground, sending enough vibrations to get a feel for who was entering.

“Suki!” Katara squealed.

“Long time no see, sister,” Suki said. 

“I thought you couldn’t make it?” Katara asked.

“I pulled a few strings. I figured it was pretty important that I be here,” Suki said, approaching Toph.

“I’m starting to feel like a roadside attraction for the Firenation zoo,” Toph complained with a half smile.

“Good to see you, Toph,” Suki said, placing a warm hug around her neck.

“Glad you made it,” the earthbender replied.

She was also shocked but didn’t mention it. So far, her and Sokka’s “break” had lasted a full term of pregnancy and the two hadn’t spoken in months. Everyone was worried that their drifting apart would mean the end of their little family, but Toph was happy that it didn’t keep her away.

“Ty Lee sends her congrats,” the Kyoshi warrior exclaimed happily.

“No congrats in order yet. The little monster is still delaying its arrival,” Toph said, rubbing a flat palm against her stomach.

“Isn’t there anything you can do to, I don’t know, speed up the process?” Suki asked Katara.

“It’s best to let nature take its course and not interfere if we can help it,” Katara spoke wisely.

Of course, she wouldn’t tell them that the possibility was something she’d considered with all three of her pregnancies. 

“Well that sucks, but to make you feel better I brought something special to celebrate,” Suki said, revealing a bag off her shoulders.

“Unfortunately, you can’t drink it until after the delivery, but consider it motivation,” the girl laughed, revealing a bottle of alcohol. “But I brought a few extras that Katara and I could sip on tonight. If you don’t mind, that is.”

“Go ahead,” Toph said with her signature crooked smile. “Somebody might as well enjoy it.”

The three women relished their afternoon with drinks (the non alcoholic type for the expectant mother of course), and Katara insisted on cooking them a big meal that Toph was pleased to be able to stomach. 

Their conversations consisted of all sorts of topics, but somehow always ended up back to the war and their adventures as children. 

“It’s crazy to think it’s been so long. It feels like yesterday,” Suki reminisced.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the war is over, and I couldn’t be happier to be married and have kids, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it,” Katara said.

They all lowered their heads a bit, like a layer of guilt passed over them.

“It’s all gotta end sometime, though,” Toph said.

“We’re on to bigger adventures now,” Suki said with a bittersweet smile.

“Yeah,” Katara concurred.

“Ugh, no more of this mushy stuff. You guys are making me sick,” Toph groaned.

The other two women laughed, completely oblivious to a single tear that rolled down Toph’s cheek. 

“Damn hormones,” Toph cursed under her breath, quickly wiping the dampness away before anyone saw. 

“Well, I’d better get checked into my hotel before it’s too late,” Suki said as she stood.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with me and Aang?” Katara offered.

“Nah that’s alright. I’m pretty beat from the trip over anyway, so I think I’ll turn in early,” Suki assured. “Let me know if anything happens.”

“Will do,” Toph assured with a small gesture.

Katara moved about the kitchen, straightening up everything from their afternoon.

“You don’t have to stick around, you know,” Toph said with arms crossed. “I know Aang is probably worn out by now with the kids.”

“Are you sure?” Katara asked. “I don’t want to miss anything.”

“I’ll be fine,” Toph insisted. “Nothing has happened and right now I don’t think this kid is telling me anything other than it’s time to take a nap.”

“Alright,” Katara gave in. “But if anything happens you send for me right away. I don’t care what time it is.”

“I know, I know,” Toph said, practically having to push Katara out the door. 

She shut the door and leaned firmly against it with her back, letting out a heavy breath.

“Whew, they’re finally gone. What do you say we try and sneak in a few more hours of sleep?” Toph said while headed toward the bed.

“No objections? I’m starting to like you already,” she smirked, nestling down and allowing herself to rest.


	4. An Unexpected Arrival

Toph woke with a sudden jolt, sitting up quickly as pain struck her seemingly out of nowhere. She stifled a whimper, as another wave of discomfort rolled its way down her back. It was then that she felt it, the telltale dampness that covered her sheets. Disoriented, she wasn’t sure what time of day it was or how long she’d been asleep. All she could think about was the pain that bit at her insides without restraint. 

After a few seconds, the pain subsided a bit and allowed her to momentarily catch her breath, a relief she was more than grateful for. A million thoughts ran through her mind at once, all disorganized and toppling over themselves like a landslide.

What had Katara said for her to do?

“The messenger hawk,” Toph grunted aloud, shifting herself on her mattress to reach the cage that was perched by her window. 

On her nightstand, she grabbed the message, already written by her secretary at work weeks prior and slid it into the leather strap. 

She wasn’t sure how much she trusted the creature with such a dire situation, but Sokka had assured her that it was the fastest means to contact Katara in an emergency. And this was most definitely an emergency.

She heard the flap of the hawk’s wings as it left through an open window and tried to make herself as comfortable as possible before another wave of pain left her completely immobilized. 

“Alright, kid. Take it easy will ya?” She said with a clenched jaw.

In her years of service and even the many battles she’d taken part in before that, this was a pain she’d never experienced. It had all the sharpness of a well-placed water strike, but the dullness that came with the onslaught of boulders. Toph found herself with a sudden respect for Katara. All the same, if the healer didn’t show her face soon, Toph swore she’d kick her butt.

Several moments of undulating pain later, Toph heard the pounding of a fist on her front door.

“Toph! I’m here!” Katara yelled, jiggling the locked door handle. 

Toph’s response was lost in a grunt of agony, too invested in an inconsolable pain to metalbend the lock. 

“I’m going to break the lock!” Katara warned before a sheet of ice encapsulated the handle and shattered with a firm kick.

The door blasted open and the waterbender responsible for it sprinted to Toph’s side. With so much pain demanding her attention, she couldn’t focus on the vibrations before her, leaving her mind and vision dark and empty.

“Take deep breaths for me, okay?” Katara instructed, working to make her friend as comfortable as possible.

After travelling the world together as children, the two were more comfortable than most with each other, sleeping alongside each other and even bathing together. Letting herself become vulnerable was not something Toph accepted lightly, but in that moment she couldn’t care less. 

All the same, when Sokka came bounding into the apartment Katara slammed the room divider closed, not allowing him in the room. 

“Stay over there,” she yelled. “We don’t need you passing out on us.”

“Yeah, snoozles,” Toph said with fatigue layering her words.

“But-“ Sokka began to protest.

“Do what the lady says,” Suki warned as she entered, allowing herself inside the room before closing the divider behind her. “What do you need?” 

“Towels,” Katara said, never letting up from her work.

Suki moved quickly, with all the grace of a warrior in battle. 

“Two bowls of warm water,” Katara instructed once more.

Once again Suki did as told, opening the divider to leave but being met by Sokka already holding the bowls with an outstretched arm.

Wordlessly, she took them, sliding the door closed with her foot. It was the first time she and Sokka had seen each other in months, and there was no denying a twinge that nestled its way behind her chest, but she ignored it, knowing there were more pressing matters at hand.

“Anything else?” she asked, delivering the supplies to a table beside the healer.

“Not right now,” Katara said without looking away from her friend for a second.

Already sweat beaded on the waterbender’s forehead, wrinkled with concentration.

Suki moved silently beside Toph, slipping her fingers under her palm and giving her a firm squeeze. 

“Careful, I might crush your hand,” Toph warned between clenched teeth.

“It’s okay,” Suki assured, not letting go.

Suki never wanted children. It was something that she and Sokka had discussed long ago, each preferring the role of cool aunt and uncle rather than mom or dad. When playing with her friend’s children, there were fleeting moments where the notion wiggled its way into her brain, but those were quickly extinguished by her better judgement. 

It wasn’t fear that led her to the conclusion, but uncertainty was definitely a factor. Although, the thought of giving birth made her shudder, she refused to not be there for Toph or any of her friends for that matter.

“I see the baby, Toph. You’re doing great,” Katara assured.

Toph only let out a painful yell in response, squeezing Suki’s hand so tightly that the girl had second thoughts, but she never let go.

Moments felt like hours to the blind woman, the pain making her mind so unclear she wasn’t certain who else was in the room, only focusing on Katara’s voice nearly drowned out by her own screams.  
Time dragged on endlessly, sectioned off by waves of pain that twisted her insides. She had to restrain herself from bending the foundation under her apartment in her grasp for anything to help.   
But suddenly everything sharpened into focus when she heard a small cry, one that echoed through to her own heart and brought more tears streaming down her face. Though pain still bit at her, exhaustion took over, leaving only enough energy for her to gulp air into her lungs. 

“It’s a girl,” Toph heard Katara announce.

A weary smile covered her lips, and the sound of sloshing water gave her the inclination that Katara was cleaning her daughter up. The infant still cried out, unphased even by Katara’s soothing.

“Meet your new daughter,” Katara said warmly, placing the crying child against Toph’s chest.

Toph drew in a deep breath, wrapping her arms around the swaddled cloth. She had held plenty of children before and was no stranger to their cries for attention, but this was different. 

“You’re really mine, huh?” Toph said, lightly placing her hand on the baby’s head.

She stroked her soft scalp, smiling at the tiny layer of hair that covered it. With each gentle caress, the newborn quieted, soothed into a chorus of tired gurgles.

“Lin Beifong. I think it has a nice ring to it, don’t you?” She spoke softly.

Her fingers moved delicately down her daughter’s nose and to her cheek, as Toph saw her baby’s face in her mind’s eye. 

“She’s beautiful,” Suki assured.

“Just like her mom,” Katara added.

“I know,” Toph said, pulling the baby closer to her chest. “She’s perfect.”

xxx

“Lin Beifong you get back here this instant!” Toph demanded.

“No!” The girl yelled, slamming the wooden door and retreating inside.

“Spirits, could that kid be any more stubborn?” Toph exclaimed, rubbing the skin above her brow.

“She gets it honest,” Aang said before skillfully dodging a punch from his friend.

“She’s just a kid,” Katara intervened, “They just want to keep playing is all.”

“They’ve been playing for two days straight. Now it’s time for Lin to go home,” Toph emphasized the words, sure to say them loud enough that her daughter could hear.

“Kids, come out here please,” Aang beckoned.

Tenzin was the first to appear, always eager to please. The others trailed behind, with Lin begrudgingly bringing up the rear.

“I really appreciate you guys watching her for me. This investigation is taking longer than we expected. Everyone has been putting in extra hours, and we still can’t get any solid leads,” Toph explained.

She felt bad dropping Lin off like that, though she knew Katara and Aang never minded, but lately she’d been having to do it a lot. Late nights at the office were once a regular part of her life, but since Lin was born four years ago, staying late wasn’t as easy.

Luckily for her, Katara and Aang now spent most of their time in Republic City, while Aang built Air Temple Island, and there was no one she trusted her daughter with more.

“It’s not a problem,” Katara assured. “Lin is welcome anytime.”

The waterbender stooped down to the girl, who ran up and buried her head in her shoulder.

“I don’t wanna leave,” Lin said.

“Tough rocks,” her mother replied sharply, “We’re going.”

“No!” Lin yelled firmly, “I don’t want to go home with you.”

Toph’s frown deepened, her annoyance growing ever closer to its boiling point. Lin could be unbelievably sweet when she wanted to be, but she knew just how to push her mother’s buttons. 

“Now, Lin, sweetie, you can come to our house another day, okay?” Aang tried.

“Why can’t I live here?” Lin whined.

“Because, you have to go home with your mom,” Aang countered.

“She’s mean! I don’t want to go home with her!” Lin argued, bringing shock to Aang’s face.

Toph’s jaw clenched, as she fought back a spew of curses in light of the children’s presence. She always tried to keep her words under control around the kids. The way she saw it, Lin would learn them eventually, so it may as well be through her. But Katara felt differently, and she wanted to avoid the headache of another lecture if she were to let one slip in front of one of her three.

“That’s enough,” Toph said finally, sending a metal wire that wrapped around her daughter’s waist and drew her near.

The young girl roared, digging her heels into the dirt in protest, but was no match for Toph’s strength as she threw Lin over her shoulder with ease. 

“I’ll see you later,” Toph called out over her shoulder as she walked away, her daughter squirming incessantly and battering the metal plates on her back in vain.

It took half the trip home for Lin to finally wear herself out, ceasing her onslaught of tiny punches that Toph barely felt through her uniform. Eventually her screams died down too, giving way to a rhythmic breathing that let her mother know she’d fallen asleep.

“This kid,” Toph sighed, bouncing slightly to readjust her over her shoulder.

She would be the first to admit that she didn’t get to spend as much time with her daughter as she should. After maternity leave ended, Toph threw herself back into work, barely treading water after being gone for so many weeks. Now, years had passed and if anything, work had grown more demanding instead of less. Republic City was advancing by the minute, the very place of cultural diversity that Aang wanted it to be, but the criminal underbelly of the city took root too and lately the unrest demanded the police chief’s full attention.

“You’re getting heavier than a sack of rocks,” Toph groaned, carefully laying her daughter in bed after entering her apartment. 

When had she gotten so big? It seemed like just yesterday she could carry her around with one hand, but now Lin’s weight was unfamiliar. 

Toph stood over her, arms crossed until she was satisfied the girl was fully asleep. In one smooth gesture, she removed her armor and rubbed her sore shoulders in the dimly lit room. Suddenly, her stomach growled so loudly she worried it would wake Lin, but the girl only wiggled beneath the sheets before quieting once more. 

“I’m starving,” Toph whispered to herself, making her way to the small kitchen.

In the hurry to collect Lin, she’d completely forgotten to eat dinner. Missing meals was yet another unfortunate side effect of being overworked, and Toph had grown so used to it that she often forgot to eat at all. 

Toph was no cook, and never had to be. In her sheltered homelife, her parents would never so much as allow her in the kitchen for fear of her burning or cutting herself and in their adventures as kids Katara always did most of the cooking alone. All the same, even she could put together a few simple dishes, though they were nothing to look forward to. 

“Whatever fills my stomach,” Toph said to herself, pulling a pot from beneath her stove. 

It couldn’t get much easier than noodles and it was even easier for a metalbender. She sat herself down at the table, effortlessly pouring the metal can of broth into the pot and flicking the stove on with a mere wave of her arm. 

Silence was an experience she seldom got to have those days, so she let herself sit back and enjoy it, until an annoying thought forced its way into her brain.

“She’s mean! I don’t wanna go home with her!” Lin’s voice echoed in her mind.

Lin loved it at Air Temple Island, and who could blame her? 

Every time Toph came to bring her home it was a fight.

“It’s just because of the kids,” Katara had assured her, “Lin enjoys having others around her age to play with. If they weren’t here it would be a different story.”

At the time, Toph simply nodded, but now she wondered differently. Having been an only child herself, and a sheltered one at that, the closest she’d ever had to siblings was the Gaang. Even then, she was more than twice Lin’s age when they met and Toph’s playing days were long behind her. She had to admit, there were times in her childhood when she’d wished for a sibling. A brother or sister that she wouldn’t be kept hidden from and treated her like an equal rather than some helpless little blind girl. 

“No damn way,” Toph muttered to herself. 

Having another child wasn’t only reckless, it was impossible. Between work and Lin, Toph barely had enough time to sleep, let alone take care of another kid. Besides, she had barely spoken to a man that wasn’t one of her officers since Lin was born and dating one was at the bottom of her to do list. 

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the noodle broth boiling and begrudgingly stood to place the noodles in the pot. 

“She’s just going to have to play with her cousins,” Toph said, throwing the dried noodles in haphazardly.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, shaking her hand in attempts to quickly cool it after the boiling water splashed over. “Son of a-“

“Mama?” Lin approached, rubbing sleep from her vision.

“Lin! I thought you were asleep,” Toph said quickly.

“What are you doing?” the girl asked, pulling herself up into a chair with her tiny arms.

“Making dinner. Want some?” Toph asked.

“Yuck. No thanks. Aunt Katara already made dinner,” Lin said candidly.

Toph shook her head, stirring the noodles gently with a spoon, scalded hand hanging by her side.

“Hey. I know my food isn’t as good as Katara’s but you could at least pretend,” Toph argued.

Toph didn’t subject her daughter to her cooking often. On the nights that Lin didn’t spend with Katara, she mostly ordered take out, but every once in a while she scrounged up something from the kitchen. Much to Lin’s protest.

Satisfied with her meal, she poured the noodles into a bowl and turned off the stove. Through her seismic abilities, Toph could sense her daughter balancing precariously in a state of semi consciousness. The weight of her own nodding head threated to overturn her from her place atop the chair.

“C’mon kid,” she said, nudging her with an elbow as she walked toward the bedroom.

For once, Lin followed obediently behind her mother who sat at the edge of the bed.

“Aunt Katara says we have to eat at the table,” Line spoke up.

“Well I’m not your Aunt Katara,” Toph said, patting the bed in an effort to get her daughter to crawl in beside her.

Toph shoveled in a few mouthfuls as her daughter nestled in beside her, her tiny feet pressing against her mother’s thigh.

A smile warmed her lips, but a sudden lump formed in her throat making it nearly impossible to wrestle down any more of her dinner.

“Why can’t I live here?” her daughter’s words pierced her memory.

Did she really mean that? Children were always brutally honest but didn’t really think things through, making it hard to tell. Either way it hurt more than it probably should have.

As much trouble as she was, Toph loved Lin. She wanted her to have the happy childhood she never had. 

“Sweet dreams, squirt,” Toph whispered, rubbing her fingers gently through Lin’s hair. 

“Mama?” the girl whispered from beneath the covers, “Do you think we can play tomorrow?”

The woman’s face relaxed a bit, her lips widening into a half smile. She placed her bowl on the table beside her, rolling over to wrap her arm around Lin. 

“Sure,” she said, giving her daughter a firm squeeze.

It was a promise she knew she shouldn’t make. The piles of paperwork that lined her desk and meetings that plagued her schedule were proof enough of that, but in that moment, she decided they didn’t matter. 

Lin’s breathing fell in rhythm with her own. Toph’s eyelids grew heavy as the exhaustion caught quickly up with her.

“Mama,” Lin whispered, pulling Toph out of sleep momentarily. “The lights are still on.”

Toph let out a sigh, flicking them off with a waft of her hand through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having so much fun writing this, and there is more in store for the future. If anyone has any feedback, good or bad, please feel free to leave a comment! Next chapter will be posted soon.


	5. An Unexpected Secret

“Widen your stance,” Toph instructed with arms crossed. “You won’t do anyone a bit of good with a sissy stance like that.”

Lin sighed, blowing a strand of hair back from her face. 

“This isn’t working. I can’t do it!” the girl protested. 

“Yes, you can. You’re my kid, and I’m the greatest earthbender in the world,” Toph said matter of factly. 

Lin was only six years old, but Toph had complete confidence she would become a great earthbender. She might have enough skill to surpass her own, if Lin could just see it herself.

Toph could feel her daughter’s heartbeat slow as she concentrated heavily on the ground before her. Over her years as police chief and the time before that, she’d taught many the ways of earthbending and metalbending. She held sole responsibility for the avatar himself having learned it, and an entire police force had only her to thank. Anyone else would have died from excitement at the prospect of learning from her, but Lin was not anyone else. She was a Beifong, and their stubbornness seemed hereditary. 

Toph heard a whiff of air, as the girl’s fist swung upward and felt the vibrations of her foot sliding against the dirt. Still, nothing. 

“I don’t wanna do this anymore!” Lin protested, trudging away and finding a spot beneath a rock to sit in protest with arms folded tight across her chest. 

Toph walked over beside her daughter, stomping a raised cylinder of earth for her to sit on herself. 

“Let me know when you’re done throwing a pity party for yourself,” Toph said, leaning back and closing her eyes.

Her ears perked at the sound of a few frustrated sniffles that Lin tried in vain to hide from her. 

She hesitated.

“Maybe I am being a little too harsh on her,” Toph thought. 

Aang was twice Lin’s age when she taught him, and all her other students were just as old if not fully grown. Never before had she taught a child, especially her own. Guilt bit at the edges of her brain, a feeling that plagued her often in the last few weeks.

“Listen, kid. I know you’re frustrated, but you can’t just give up,” Toph encouraged gingerly.

The sniffles continued, eagerly wiped away by the back of her arm. Lin didn’t cry often, not like other children, the sound made Toph’s brain ache. Some motherly instinct cried out for her to embrace her child, but the teacher in her stood firm.

Toph drew in and released a solid breath before outstretching an arm in her daughter’s direction.

“Come here,” she beckoned.

Cautiously, Lin stood and followed her directions.

Still seated, Toph gently grabbed Lin’s shoulders and positioned her to face away from her. Satisfied, she then lifted her fingers gently to her daughter’s face, letting them trace over the familiar features until they covered her eyelids. 

“Close your eyes,” Toph said. “I want you to feel the earth beneath your feet. Don’t worry about anything else, just feel.”

Dutifully, but not without skepticism, Lin listened and never opened her eyes even after Toph removed her hands.

“Earth is the most solid of all the elements. It might seem immovable right now, but if you listen hard enough, if you let yourself feel everything around you and demand its attention, it will listen back,” Toph explained.

In one move, Toph planted a firm foot to the ground, sending vibrations thrumming through the earth. 

Lin flinched, the sudden move sending a jolt through her body.

“Do you feel it?” Toph asked.

“Yes,” Lin replied.

A smile passed over her mother’s face.

“Now, try again. But this time I want you to focus on the feeling of the earth underneath you. Listen to it and make it listen to you,” Toph instructed.

Lin drew in another deep breath, spreading two open palms in front of her torso. She executed the form flawlessly, with her right foot stomping against the ground and sliding back into a wide stance. She felt the power roll from the base of her spine and the earth hear her call, raising itself in response.

“I did it!” the girl yelled.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Toph said proudly, embracing Lin in a sweeping hug that lifted her just off the ground.

A sudden twinge struck down her back, pain too strong to ignore, and she sat Lin quickly back to the earth. 

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Lin urged.

Toph clenched her jaw, she was hoping the girl wouldn’t notice.

“It’s nothing,” she reassured, one hand clutching her back. “I must’ve just strained something.”

Luckily that was all it took for Lin to lose interest, instead moving away to practice more of her newfound power. 

Toph wanted to feel nothing but excitement for her daughter. She had been looking forward to the day she might teach her child to become as great a bender as herself since before Lin was born, but the worry in the back of her mind pulled a dark cloud over things. 

She’d been mostly successful at hiding things until that point, blaming her issues on her long working hours and lack of sleep, but she knew she couldn’t hide it forever. Every time she thought about it a hard knot formed in her stomach, and she couldn’t focus.

Within a few moments the dirt lot they stood in was filled with small towers of earth that Lin had eagerly erected. It was a small city of her own creation she planned to spread until there was room for no more, but it would have to wait.

“It’s starting to get late, Lin. We need to go home,” Toph said.

“But-“ her daughter began to protest.

“You have school tomorrow,” Toph cut her off. 

Lin knew better than to argue. Instead, she gave one last look at the model city of her invention and a crooked grin covered her lips.

“Coming!” Lin yelled, moving at a jog to catch up.

“So, how has school been lately? Have you been playing with, oh what’s that kid’s name again?” Toph attempted.

She didn’t get the opportunity to talk to her daughter much as of late, and it made her feel warm inside to feel Lin’s excited footsteps skipping beside her.

“Kimi?” Lin offered.

“Uh, yeah. That loud one,” Toph said.

Toph tried to let Lin have friends over as often as she liked. It gave her someone to play with and kept her busy while she enjoyed what little hours of downtime she could muster, but this little girl had a mouth that never tired. 

“She’s not loud, Mom,” Lin defended. “And she invited me over to play at her house this weekend.”

“And?”

“And I told her you said no,” Lin shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t remember saying that,” Toph said, scrunching up her face.

“You didn’t,” Lin said matter of factly.

It wasn’t normal for Lin to worm her way out of staying with a friend. If anything, the girl practically chased after every opportunity to get out of their small apartment, and Toph let her. As cruel as it sounded, her daughter’s absence gave Toph the opportunity of peace and quiet, a fair exchange.

“So, lemme get this straight. Your best friend invited you to spend the weekend and you lied so you wouldn’t have to go?” she reasoned.

“Well, it’s not that I don’t want to hang out with her,” Lin admitted. “It’s just I don’t like going to her house.”

“Why? What’s wrong with her house?” Toph questioned, her protective mother side making an unannounced appearance.

Already she’d made plans to do a background search on Kimi’s parents. Maybe even plant a detective nearby to keep an eye on the place for anything suspicious.

“Nothing!” Lin insisted, twisting her face in attempts to find the words to explain. “Her little brother is there. He’s a baby, and he cries the whole time we’re there.”

Toph released a short sigh, shaking her head. So that’s all it was.

“That’s what babies do, Lin. They cry. All the time.”

“It hurts my ears,” Lin argued.

“Hey, you don’t think you hurt my ears when you were a baby?” Toph said, pointing a thumb deftly at the side of her head.

“I don’t like babies,” Lin continued, ignoring her mother’s comment. “They’re loud, and they stink, and they aren’t even that cute.”

Toph grimaced, rubbing the tension from her neck. If ever there would be a good time to break the news, now was not it. 

“C’mon they aren’t all that bad. I mean, yeah you were stinky and loud, but I’d say you were pretty cute too,” Toph nudged her daughter gently with her arm. 

Lin didn’t respond, but Toph could tell just by the change of her balance that the sentiment made her happy. It didn’t take them long to arrive back at the apartment, which had grown cramped over the recent months. 

A small bed was squished beside the window where Lin had been sleeping since she’d grown too big to share. A twinge of sadness caught in Toph’s chest when she realized they wouldn’t be able to stay there for much longer. The space was crowded as it was with two, much less an unexpected addition.

It wouldn’t be easy to leave. After all, it was where Toph had lived since she moved her life to Republic City and the place where her daughter was born. 

“How would you feel about us finding a bigger place?” Toph asked, easing the words out as if it would keep from rousing any suspicion.

“I like it here,” Lin answered simply.

“We could find somewhere even better,” Toph assured, changing from her uniform into something more comfortable. “Maybe we could even get you your own room.”

Lin merely shrugged, seeming wholly uninterested as she piled into her bed.

“Tch,” Toph scoffed. “You’ll appreciate it more when you’re older.”

Frustrated, Toph swiped a single hand through the air to shut off the lights if only to save herself from having to be reminded by Lin later on. She pulled the covers tightly over her shoulder, knowing sleep wouldn’t come easily. It never did when her mind grew all knotted and hazy. 

“How could I be so stupid?” she thought. “Toph Beifong, world’s greatest earthbender and biggest idiot.”

She could already imagine it, the looks and judgment she’d gather. She didn’t need sight to feel the eyes that bored into her every time she and Lin went out in public. Their stares of pity for the blind mother and her fatherless child. It would only worsen with another baby hanging from her hip.

Even Katara had called it quits, deciding that three children were more than enough to handle. A dull pain throbbed in her head at the thought of breaking the news. Katara would be understanding, and pledge to help her along the way, but even she would ask questions and hold her fair share of disapproval. Toph had decided long ago that she didn’t need anyone’s approval, telling Katara that herself, but in this instance, she would be a fool to claim disapproval was without warrant. 

Even so, Katara was one of the last people she wanted to see. The thought of the encounter made her stomach twist, knowing that eventually she would be posed with the dreaded question.

“Who’s the father?” she imagined Katara’s voice beckoning.

Bravery was one of Toph’s most coveted virtues, but telling the truth was something that called forth more fear than she was comfortable with. Katara always had a knowing way about her, and Toph was afraid that she’d see right through her shaky lies. 

Stronger than that, however, was the torment of what to tell the father himself. 

“So, what happened between us doesn’t mean anything, right?” she remembered the words carefully rolling off his tongue. 

“Not a thing,” she said coolly, feigning indifference.

“We were both drunk and lonely and one thing led to another . . .” he trailed off.

“Yeah, pretty sure I was there,” Toph quipped.

“I just don’t want things to change and get all awkward every time we bump into each other,” he went on.

“It’s only awkward if you make it that way,” Toph urged, her words laced with annoyance.

“Promise?” he asked.

The gesture was childlike, and for a moment she remembered him as the boy she’d known long ago, the one she clung to when she was afraid and trusted to save her on the rare occasion that she needed rescuing. He always had been and still was the goofy kid at heart and that was what she loved about him, but she would never tell him.

Over the years the childlike crush never really went away, only buried itself deep down. After all, she was the chief of police, a single mom, and the holder of an unsteady record of past relationships that all ended in the same place, with her once again on her own. So, she convinced herself that her responsibilities outweighed her desire for companionship. At least, until that desire finally boiled over and all the chips fell almost too perfectly in place for her to let her feelings roam uncontained. Lin went home with Aang and Katara after the party, leaving Toph to stick around for the post party festivities, which in reality was a round of bar hopping with her favorite drinking buddy, Sokka. 

He and Suki were on yet another break this one having lasted the longest so far, a whole year. As much as they got along, their strong wills often clashed and the stress of leadership had gotten to both of them. Sokka was determined to get over it by washing all his feelings down one bottle at the time, and for once Toph actually believed him, or perhaps wanted so strongly to believe that she didn’t give herself time to overthink it. 

He was kind to her, listening to her gripes about work and always coming up with some good advice to make her feel better. Ever since they were children he always looked after her, but never denied her dignity. It was only natural that she cared about him too, but that didn’t mean she loved him, right?

“Promise.” Toph said, forcing her lips to peel back into a small smile. “We’re just friends.”

For emphasis she gave his shoulder a nudge with as much heart as she could muster.

“Friends,” Sokka smiled back.

Toph felt the rise and fall of Lin’s breathing beside her in the room as she slept soundly. She rolled over, folding her hands beneath her head and let out a heavy sigh. Hesitantly, she reached an open palm to her lower abdomen, closing her eyes in concentration and feeling. 

The faintest of heartbeats vibrated in response, small but unmistakable.

Through all the stress and confusion, it was nearly lost on her that there was a small sliver of excitement there. During her first pregnancy, Katara had joked that Toph would miss having a baby around the house, and she would soon want another. The sleepless nights filled with endless wails from an unsatisfied infant still remained fresh in her mind, as did the pain from giving birth, but alongside it were the memories of the warmth she felt in her chest when she first held her daughter and first heard her laugh. Having Lin meant that she would never be alone again and that someone would always need her. And now it was happening all over again.

Two months after she’d promised Sokka they were nothing more than friends, life had carried on as usual. She’d once again thrown herself into work as a distraction, cursing herself for the few times her mind wandered back to the warmth of his embrace. It was the anniversary of the end of the Hundred Year War and as usual, the entire gang met up for a celebratory dinner. Unfortunately, Toph thought, that included Sokka.

With the children being looked after by some of the air nomads, everyone relaxed but the general merriment made Toph feel uneasy. 

“Just don’t think about it and don’t do anything suspicious,” she warned herself as she took a seat at the table.

She wanted Zuko to be the one to sit beside her. He was the one in least danger of finding out or having any reason to, at least. Toph thought she’d won a small battle by strategically picking a spot at the end of the table and waving the Firelord over, but her stomach dropped slightly as she felt the familiar vibration of Sokka’s solid footsteps growing nearer. 

He was easier to distinguish than most, always sure footed and determined and if she concentrated hard enough she could make out the outline of his frame. His posture was relaxed, the foil to her own tense back. One arm swung loosely by his side and the other was raised with another set of footsteps walking beside his own. It was Suki and judging by the way she held onto his arm they’d arrived together.

Toph’s jaw clenched as she tried and failed to cage her emotions behind her teeth. She had no anger for Suki. She was a loyal friend and Toph never forgot that she owed the Kyoshi Warrior her life. Heck, she’d even held her hand as she’d given birth, but Toph would be a brazen faced liar to claim she didn’t harbor some jealously deep in her chest. The realization made her feel sick, and she worried for a moment that another wave of morning sickness would bring her running to the bathrooms, giving away her secret, but Toph was careful to drink extra tea before the event and forced herself to eat a small meal before leaving the safety of her apartment.

“Toph, it’s so good to see you. You look great!” Suki greeted and Toph could tell she was genuine. 

It allowed her a small bit of relief. 

“I would say the same, but” Toph said, waving an arm deftly in front of her clouded eyes.

Suki laughed, taking the seat in front of Toph. It took every ounce of her restraint to hold back a curse. 

“How is Lin?” Suki asked.

“Growing like a weed and wilder than a flying hog monkey,” Toph answered.

“Just like her mom,” Sokka added.

Toph forced a smile onto her face, suddenly glad that she was the only one in the group who could detect insincerity. 

“So, you two are back together?” The words left Toph’s mouth before she could stop them, and she cringed at her own carelessness. 

In the last few weeks her brain had been so muddled she’d said things on impulse like that more times than she could count. She sourly remembered the same thing happening when she was carrying Lin. 

“Yes,” Suki replied. “I came back to Republic City a few days early for a change in scenery, and we bumped into each other.”

“We had a chance to catch up and have a long chat about what went wrong and decided to give it another shot,” Sokka explained. 

“More like I realized I couldn’t keep living without him,” Suki said with a giggle and placed a kiss on his cheek. 

The earthbender’s tongue dragged across her teeth as she fought the itching sensation that suddenly covered her lips. She struggled to suppress the memory of his ragged stubble scratching her own face.

“Like I told you, you’re free to take time off whenever you need,” Zuko pitched in.

“Thanks, bossman,” Sokka joked.

Toph was so preoccupied with keeping her jealousy at bay, she nearly took a drink off the waiter’s tray, her fingers reaching and stopping just short of the glass before she thought better of it.

“No drinks tonight, Toph?” Katara asked from the other end of the table.

Spirits, Toph cursed internally. She’d hoped no one would notice.

“No,” she answered, “I almost forgot I’ve got an early shift tomorrow.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but not entirely the truth. She could feel Katara eyeing her suspiciously.

“Never stopped you before,” Sokka jabbed harmlessly, or so he thought.

It struck a nerve and the brief thought of shouting out the true reason in a fit of rage crossed her mind but was almost immediately whisked away by better judgement. 

“We all have to grow up some time,” she said instead.

The remark brought a wave of awkward silence.

“She’s right,” Aang said suddenly, standing at his spot toward the other end of the table. “We’re not kids anymore. We’ve grown up and changed. In fact, Bumi is now the age I was when Katara and Sokka found me in that iceberg.”

“Give or take a hundred years,” Katara reminded, easing the tension a bit by garnering a few laughs.

“The world our children are growing up in is vastly different from the one each of us experienced. We’ve managed to maintain peace for many years now, and the city we’re standing in is a testament to the great change we’ve come to see, change for the better. Everybody in this room right now had played a part in that, and after all these years I couldn’t be more proud to call you my friends,” Aang finished.

The Avatar’s speech touched even Toph and everyone gave a soft round of applause. 

The rest of the night went as smoothly as she could hope, though it seemed after her little snap Sokka was avoiding her. 

“Whatever. Makes my night easier,” Toph told herself.

After an hour she excused herself to the restroom. In reality, she just wanted a few moments of peace. All the socializing and the worry that ate at her conscious made her feel exhausted. 

Being that it was a gathering of some of the most important figures and leaders in the world, the rest of the restaurant was vacant, making them the only customers there and just a few servers who flitted to and from the kitchen. Toph found a chair tucked away in a corner where they couldn’t see her and took the liberty of propping her feet up, free to think things over for just a moment by herself. And it seemed she’d get her wish until she heard footsteps hesitantly approaching.

“I thought I saw you sneak off,” Sokka said quietly.

“I said I was going to the bathroom,” Toph argued.

“You must be really out of it, because this isn’t the bathroom,” Sokka replied.

“I’m just taking a breather, Snoozles. You don’t have to check in on me.”

“I know.”

Toph raised an eyebrow. He still stood there, like he was waiting on something.

“What is it?”

“Is everything okay? Because it sure didn’t seem like it back there,” Sokka gestured toward the dinner table.

“Everything’s fine,” Toph said, tucking her arms behind her head for emphasis.

“Look, I know Suki and I getting back together is kind of sudden, but after what happened-“ 

“Don’t,” Toph cut him off with the raise of her hand. “You promised you wouldn’t speak of it again.”

“And you promised things wouldn’t be awkward between us,” Sokka replied.

Even then he didn’t sound angry, but serious in a way that felt unfamiliar. 

“I’m sorry. It’s just been rough at the station lately. I haven’t gotten much sleep, and I guess my patience is running thinner than usual. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, and I shouldn’t be avoiding you.   
But I just . . .” she ran out of words, stopping herself before she said too much.

“I understand. I never should’ve dragged you into all this. I was stupid,” Sokka confessed.

“No. I was the stupid one. You and Suki belong together. I don’t want to wedge you two apart again,” Toph said honestly.

“We weren’t together then,” Sokka reminded.

“I know, but you are now. And when she says she loves you and that she wants to make things work she really means it this time. I can tell, remember.”

“I really love her too, but I hate seeing you so alone,” Sokka said quietly. And he was telling the truth.

“I’m not alone,” she said. “In fact, I found someone new. About a month ago.”

The thought formed itself quickly in her head and, amazingly enough, it was the truth. She was never alone anymore, not with the living thing growing in her belly, and she really had found out about it a month prior.

“Really? Why didn’t you bring them tonight and introduce everyone?” Sokka asked.

“They aren’t really ready to meet everyone yet. Maybe later on,” she said, once again bending the truth. 

“Well I’m happy for you,” Sokka said, and she could feel his honesty. “And I want you to know that I still care about you. No matter what happens between us, you’re still one of my best friends.”

“Ditto,” she said simply, giving his arm a punch. 

He laughed, rubbing the spot that was sore already. 

“Ready to go back now?” he asked, his smile almost auditory.

“Sure,” she replied.

The rest of the night was easier and as she walked home, she thought about his words and the sincerity behind them. Sokka was her best friend and above all else she wanted him to be happy. It was obvious that Suki made him happy and that was all that mattered. 

“I’m already raising one on my own,” she thought to herself, “what’s one more?”

xxx

Toph grasped Lin’s hand tightly, more for her own comfort than to keep her daughter from straying.

“You’re hurting my hand, mama,” Lin complained.

“What? Oh, sorry kid,” she said, loosening her grip.

“Are you . . . afraid?” Lin asked carefully. 

She had never seen her mother act this way and eyed her suspiciously as they approached the dock.

“Of course not. What would I have to be afraid of?” Toph feigned confidence that even she knew was pitiful.

“It’s just that your heart is beating really fast,” Lin elaborated.

Toph raised an eyebrow. She’d been training Lin for two months now and the young girl had taken impressively to it like a true natural. Still, Toph was shocked that she was able to tell her nervousness from the vibrations of her heartbeat alone.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” she assured.

She was glad that her daughter’s skills were not yet more refined. Every day it seemed the baby’s heartbeats grew stronger and Toph’s stomach, usually well defined by muscles from earthbending had grown more rounded. She had to sculpt her metal carefully, flattening it as much as possible, but that could only hide so much. To the untrained eye it would seem she had just put on a bit of weight, but Katara’s eyes weren’t untrained. Picking Lin up from her care had become a race to make her way out the door before the waterbender got curious enough to ask questions, but Toph knew it was only a matter of time before her secret could no longer be held. 

She’d spent the last few weeks thinking about the right way to break the news, but never could figure out the words. Time was running out, however. More than her enlarging stomach, Toph worried about the baby’s health and the toll it was already taking on her body. This pregnancy was notably different from her first. While the morning sickness was much easier to control, she was often plagued with migraines at odd and inconvenient times. She’d had to come up with many a quick excuse to get herself out of meetings, the pain wracking her head too strong for her to concentrate. 

“The boat’s almost here,” Lin informed.

Air temple island wouldn’t be half bad, she thought, if there were another way for her to get to it. One that involved dry land instead of wading through a body of water on a flimsy boat. Lin had taken to holding onto her while they road across, allowing her an anchor to something she could see, and it never failed to bring a smile to Toph’s face. Except for this once.

Before Toph even stepped foot into the vessel, a sharp pain in her skull left her reeling. She winced, bringing her fingers to her forehead as if that would somehow stop the pain. 

“You sure you’re okay, mama?” Lin asked.

A sudden dizzy spell kept Toph from answering. It felt as if someone were poking her brain with a hot iron rod and the ground, while usually under her complete control, suddenly betrayed her. She stooped quickly toward the earth, catching herself with the hand that wasn’t clasping her head for relief.

“Aunt Toph!” Kya called, jumping quickly over the side of the boat and running toward them.

It was clear the girl had come to greet the two and escort them to the island. Bending the water to propel and steer the small boat was good practice, and she always looked forward to having another girl to play with in lieu of her two brothers. 

“I’m fine, really,” Toph managed through clenched teeth.

She attempted to stand but was quickly brought back down by another sharp pain that echoed above her eyes. 

“We need to get her to Mom right now!” Kya said quickly, moving to Toph’s side.

Lin ran to meet her, carefully lifting her mother’s arm around her shoulder. Kya was substantially taller, leading Toph toward the boat at a slant.

“If I get on that boat I will puke all over you,” Toph warned.

Without a second thought, the girls aided her into the water vessel. Lin remained by Toph’s side, holding her arm while Kya moved to the bow of the boat.

“Hold her steady,” Kya instructed.

The young waterbender took a deep breath before moving her hands gracefully through the air, shifting the boat forward. Gradually, she quickened her motions, bringing the boat to a faster speed without chopping through waves that threatened to shake them about. 

If Toph weren’t so preoccupied with the splitting headache, she would have been impressed. Katara had truly taught her daughter well. She had them across the water in a matter of moments, gliding them gracefully to the dock as they approached.

“Aunt Katara!” Lin yelled, her voice full of worry.

Toph fumbled as she stepped up onto the dock, her swaying head making it difficult to sense her surroundings.

“What’s going on?” Katara yelled as she ran to their side.

In a matter of moments Katara had her laying on a cot inside. Toph felt the pain alleviate in slight intervals as the waterbender manipulated the warm liquid around her temples and forehead.

“How long has this been going on?” Katara asked.

“Eh, a few weeks now,” Toph replied.

“A few weeks? And why are you just now telling me about this?”

“I’ve had everything under control.”

“So, your version of control is collapsing on the docks?” Katara said, returning the water to a bowl and placing her hands on her hips.

“I was fine, the girls were there,” Toph began to defend.

“And what if they weren’t? What if you were on patrol by yourself or … or”

“Katara, you’re doing it again,” Toph raised a hand to her temple.

“Doing what?”

“Yelling.”

“I’m sorry,” Katara replied, lowering her volume and releasing a breath. “I just worry about you. You always act too stubborn for help and you let yourself get in really bad shape without telling anyone. I don’t want you to suffer in silence.”

Toph grimaced, knowing her friend’s words held a deeper meaning than she knew. 

“You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine. Everything’s back to normal now,” Toph assured.

“But that’s not normal Toph. I’ve never seen you in that much pain before from just a headache. We need to figure out what’s causing them,” Katara reasoned.

Toph sighed. She knew the time had come.

“I know what’s causing them,” Toph said quietly.

“Really? What is it then? I can get working on things right away.”

“I’m pregnant . . . again,” Toph said, her heart beating faster with every passing second.

She realized it was the first time she’d said the words out loud since she’d found out, and it felt just as much like she was admitting it to herself.

“No,” Katara exclaimed, raising her hand to cover her slack jaw.

“Yep,” Toph said simply.

With the waft of her hand she removed her metal armor, pulling her tank top gingerly to her waist. A bump had formed, small and smooth, but there all the same. 

“How far along?” Katara finally asked, still somewhat in shock.

“Around three months now, if I’m remembering right,” Toph answered, placing a hand on her abdomen. 

Katara shook her head, as if clearing away her shock before quickly bending the warm water once more from the bowl and against Toph’s belly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Katara chastised.

Toph drew her hands away quickly to leave room for her to do her work.

“I was planning on it, I just, well,” the words were difficult to say and not because of the residual fogginess that remained in her brain, “I guess I was just afraid.”

“Afraid? Why?” Katara beckoned.

“Because I messed up, Katara. This was supposed to be a one time thing, remember?” Toph explained. “And I already knew what you’d say. It’s irresponsible of me to have another kid, especially without the father in the picture.”

Katara sighed, pulling the water away once more. “That isn’t what matters right now. The health of you and your baby matters more.”

“Don’t worry. I check every morning for a strong heartbeat,” Toph assured. “If there were any problems I was going to come straight here.”

Katara pinched the bridge of her nose, “I just need a minute to process this.”

“Take all the time you need. Take the whole six months if you have to,” Toph said.

Finally telling the truth left her feeling better, but the weight had yet to fully lift off her chest. 

“Toph, I don’t mean to pry, but-“ Katara started.

Her teeth grit. She knew Katara wouldn’t be able to let it go.

“Yes, I know who the father is. No, I’m not telling him, and it’s none of your business,” Toph cut her off.

Toph could feel her friend regressing, tucking her arms around herself in defense as if she’d been burned. 

“I’ve raised Lin just fine on my own so far. I don’t need anybody else,” Toph determined.

“I know you don’t, but I wish every once in a while you’d remember that we need you,” Katara said quietly.

“What are you talking about, Sugar Queen?” 

“It’s been over twenty years since we met, and you still don’t trust me enough not to judge you? If something were to happen to the baby, to you . . .” Katara trailed off, not daring to say it out loud. “I couldn’t live with myself. I don’t care who the father is. I care about you.”

“Katara, I’m sorry,” Toph said, stepping forward. “I shouldn’t have kept this from you, and I do trust you, really. I guess having Lin made me realize that it wasn’t just me anymore. Now there’s someone else who relies on me, and it was scary to find out that it’s happening again.”

Katara reached out, grabbing her friend’s callused palm. 

“Hey, we got you through this one time already, right?”

“Right,” Toph said soberly.

The door opened slowly, and Toph felt her daughter peeking her head around the frame.

“Mama, what’s wrong?” Lin asked.

“Nothing’s wrong, squirt,” she replied, reaching an arm out to beckon her closer.

Lin jogged quickly to her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist in a hug. The two didn’t show such affection often, but the girl’s worry for her mother was evident.

“I’m feeling a lot better thanks to you and Kya. I knew my strong girls could handle it,” Toph said, giving Lin a squeeze with one arm. 

“You both did the right thing bringing her here, I’m proud of you,” Katara added.

The two girls beamed proudly at the waterbender who motioned for her own daughter to draw near. 

“Does this mean Aunt Toph is going to be okay?” Kya asked.

“She’s going to be fine. But she’ll be coming back in a few weeks for another check up, right Toph?” Katara urged.

Toph let out a groan in response.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Katara. I’ll make sure of it,” Lin said confidently.

“Good. Now why don’t you girls make a run to the kitchen? I made some snacks for everyone,” Katara said.

The two girls ran off excitedly, practically bouncing with every step.

“Looks like even the chief of police has someone to keep her in line,” Katara joked, bumping her hip against Toph’s. “When are you going to tell her?”

Toph frowned. “I don’t know. I don’t think she’ll be too thrilled by the idea of having a baby around the place. I still haven’t even wrapped my head around it. Two kids . . .”

“I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s easy, but Lin will come around, eventually.”

“I hope so,” Toph answered honestly.


	6. An Unexpected Disappearance

It had been a week since Toph broke the news to Lin that she would soon be an older sister, and Lin had barely spoken a word to her since. 

She’d even taken to training on her own, traveling off to the dirt lot near their apartment to practice her bending alone. Of course, Toph could still see her daughter with her seismic sense. Every poorly performed technique and sloppy stance. If she was ever going to become a great earthbender she needed guidance, but under Katara’s advice, Toph allowed Lin her space. 

It wasn’t all that difficult. With Toph at the station all day and Lin at school, the most time they spent together were the few hours before bed. Even then, Lin busied herself with schoolwork.

Without field work, the chief of police was confined to her office, leaving her little opportunity to blow off steam. The whole thing worked on her nerves, making it difficult to focus.

“Chief Beifong?” the officer said, regaining her attention.

“Oh, yes. Sorry, can you repeat that last thing you said?” She asked, reprimanding herself internally for letting her mind trail off mid conversation.

“It’s the hideout, ma’am. We’ve been keeping eyes on the place for the last few days, and we’ve got the affirmative. He’s there,” the officer repeated respectfully. 

Toph slid her feet off her desk, straightening her spine from its previously relaxed position. 

“You’re certain? The informant said he shouldn’t arrive until at least next week,” Toph questioned.

They’d already made plans to intercept him upon arrival the next week and catch him off guard, but if this was true their plans were dashed.

“Positive. He arrived with an unknown shipment this morning.”

Ryu. He was the leader of a band of smugglers the force had been trying to pin down for months. Before her fateful encounter with a certain watertribesmen, Toph had chased down the man herself, but it was all for naught. The slippery firebender managed to evade arrest, sailing off into hiding.

It was rare that Toph lost her man, but Ryu was a skilled bender and his loyalties ran deep in the city. As a smuggler, every common thug was in some way indebted to him, which meant none of her informants had been of much use. Still, Toph knew he would one day return and as it turned out, today was that day.

“Of course, he had to wait ‘til I was knocked up and couldn’t go after him myself,” Toph thought bitterly.

She still had some time before she had to reveal the news of her pregnancy to her squad and, in turn, the council, but she wanted to prolong it as much as possible. 

“I want twenty-four-hour surveillance on him. We can’t let him slip away again. If he leaves the hideout I want to know about it as soon as you know, but you are not allowed to engage the subject without my direct instruction, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am,” the officer said, bowing out of the room.

Toph sighed as he left, rubbing her temples. With Katara’s help, the headaches had lessened but every once in a while the stress brought a dull pain behind her forehead. 

“You can tell this is bad news too, huh?” Toph consulted quietly with her belly.

She always made certain her office door was closed and never let her volume get high enough that someone passing by might hear but talking to her baby made her feel better sometimes. Her second pregnancy had already been different from her first in many ways, but that, at least, remained the same. 

“I can’t go after him this time. Not with you along for the ride,” she said drily.

Katara allowed Toph to continue bending in controlled situations, nothing too risky of course. Even chasing someone down wasn’t the problem, so long as she wasn’t attacked. But Toph new all too well what Ryu and his gang were capable of. Several of her officers were out of the job for weeks after the major showdown in the smugglers den on their first attempt to apprehend him. Though she wouldn’t admit it out loud, the man was a formidable opponent who wasn’t afraid to use rather unseemly tactics to gain an advantage. At the least, he didn’t hold back and unlike the common thugs that roamed the city, he held no fear for Chief Beifong. 

Toph would have to assemble a task force to take Ryu down and find some excuse as to why she couldn’t join in on the raid. _Unless_ . . .

“No,” Toph said firmly, her fingers curling into a fist before laying gently over her abdomen. “Sorry kid. We’ve gotta keep you under wraps at least for a little while longer.”

She wasn’t sure when she’d feel ready, but she certainly didn’t feel ready now. Not yet.

Toph pushed through the day, organizing paperwork with her secretary and hand selecting officers she felt were up to the task, on top of her already scheduled daily duties. Hours had passed and exhaustion mixed with restlessness as she paced behind her desk.

“So, we’re all set for the raid?” Toph asked.

“Yes ma’am. All the officers have been informed, and I’ve scheduled a briefing first thing tomorrow morning,” her secretary replied.

Something nagged at her brain. Though she’d went through all the preparations herself and was assured by her very diligent secretary that everything was covered, something didn’t feel right. There was something missing, something very important that she was forgetting. 

The realization hit her like a ten ton air bison.

“What time is it?” the earthbender asked, urgency lacing her words.

“It’s half past four, ma’am,” the secretary answered, taken aback by the chief’s sudden outburst.

“Spirits! Lin!” she yelled, racing out the door. 

Her bare feet thudded against the smooth stone sidewalks of the city streets. Most pedestrians moved out of the Police Chief’s way, and she elbowed her way past those who didn’t move fast enough.

“How could I forget?” Toph chastised herself between breaths. 

Toph was suddenly grateful that her stomach hadn’t already grown larger and angry that she had been so adamant in instructing her officers not to use their metal cables outside of emergencies or chasing down a suspect. 

With those, she could cover the distance in nearly half the time, but no matter how much she wanted to convince herself otherwise, forgetting your child at school did not count as an emergency.

She cursed herself for not taking Katara up on her offer to collect Lin for her that afternoon. At the time it seemed like a wise decision. Toph had planned to reach out to her daughter on the walk home in an attempt to come to some sort of understanding after days of silence. Now, she thought, she’d be lucky if she could get Lin to ever speak to her again.

Finally reaching the school, Toph stopped abruptly. She sucked breaths into her lungs and felt for the familiar beat of her daughter’s heart, but there was no one in the outdoor waiting area. Without hesitation, she stormed into the front doors of the school, marching to the front desk where she felt a secretary sitting idly.

“Chief Beifong!” the woman jumped.

“Where is Lin?” Toph managed through heavy breaths.

“She’s not here ma’am. None of the students are. They were dismissed over an hour ago,” the secretary said with a shaky voice. 

The two had interacted before, when Toph had come to defend Lin over what her principal described as “language unfit for young ladies to use”. The Beifong woman had more than a few choice words for him and the secretary had overheard all of it. And thus, it appeared, she was administered a healthy dose of fear.

“I know they were already released, but how is she not here if there was no adult to pick her up?” Toph said, her words laced with contempt.

“I-I don’t know, ma’am.”

Toph fought the urge to hurdle a boulder into the wall, knowing that logically it would fix nothing and only cost her money for the damage as well as suffer a blow to her reputation. Stupid logic.

“She’d better be at home in one piece, or you and Principal Puffy Pants back there will be answering to me, got it?” Toph threatened, receiving a fervent not in reply.

Toph made her way to her apartment as quickly as she could, careful not to strain herself. She didn’t need to go inside to feel that her daughter was not there.

Panic began to eat at her mind, only abated by the possibility that Lin had gone to Air Temple Island.

“She’ll be there,” Toph assured herself. “She has to be.”

She wasted no time making her way to the Avatar’s home at the center of Republic City. With her visit unannounced, there was no acolyte to greet her at the docks and without sight, she knew that paddling a boat there herself was out of the question. 

The earthbender wiggled her toes against the dirt beneath her, taking a deep breath and concentrating on the earth below. She shifted her weight forward, stomping the ground with a grunt of effort. A dirt bridge raised itself in response, barely reaching over the water’s surface that stretched itself to the island many lengths away.

Her footsteps were light as she practically glided across before throwing open the door to Katara’s bedroom.

“Toph? What’s wrong? Is it the baby?” Katara questioned quickly, already reaching for her friend’s stomach.

“Yes. I mean no! No, it’s Lin. Is she here? Have you seen her?” Toph demanded, her tone sounding more panicked than she would’ve liked.

“No, I haven’t seen her. I thought you said you were picking her up from school today yourself?” Katara answered, forehead wrinkled in equal parts confusion and concern.

Toph’s stomach went suddenly solid, and she knew for once that it wasn’t due to the unborn infant inside of her.

“Where is Aang? Could she possibly be with him?” Toph asked desperately.

“No. She couldn’t be with Aang. He and Tenzin left yesterday afternoon for a trip to the Eastern Air Temple,” Katara answered. “Why? What’s going on?”

Toph clenched her jaw, wracking her brain for any other explanation. Lin wasn’t at home or school. Enough time had passed that if she’d headed to the station they would’ve crossed paths, and she hadn’t come to the island. 

“I think-“ Toph tried, her words were shaky and difficult to force from her throat still burning from her journey on foot, “I think Lin is missing.”

Katara gasped, unsure of what to do or say.

Head swimming from all the sudden exertion, Toph felt her legs weaken, and she stumbled to the wall to hold herself upright. 

Katara rushed to help her, trying to coerce her friend to lie down.

“Toph all this stress isn’t good for you or the baby. You need to take a rest for a minute. Let’s figure this out,” Katara urged.

Toph wordlessly let the waterbender lead her to the bed, sitting back against the gentle embrace of a pillow. 

Her mind was blank, not even bothering to feel for her surroundings. The only thing that echoed in her brain was the realization that her daughter was gone.

“and it’s all my fault,” she thought to herself.

xxx

Lin Beifong tucked herself quickly into an alleyway, holding her breath and shutting her eyes as if that would make the man not see her. She waited a few seconds before peeking a single eye open, watching as he passed by completely unaware of her presence.

“Whew, that was close,” the girl whispered to herself.

The man was gilded nearly head to toe in sheets of gleaming metal, the same uniform that her mother wore. He was one of her officers, and she knew that if he saw her roaming the streets of Republic City alone, he would take her straight to her mother’s office which was the last place she wanted to be.

Lin could practically see her mother’s frown, hear the disappointment surrounding every word. 

She knew after half an hour of waiting outside her school that her mother had forgotten her. It took her all of a few minutes to make up her mind that she didn’t want to go home. Not when her own mother would forget her, _replace her_ so easily.

“You’re going to be a big sister soon,” she remembered her saying.

But Lin knew what it meant. It meant a baby crying all the time. It meant moving to a new home. And most importantly, it meant sharing what little time she did get to have with her mother with the baby. 

Lin grunted as she kicked a small rock against a trash bin, wiping away a stray tear with the back of her arm. 

“Stupid baby,” she muttered.

Her short legs carried her out of the dark alley and onto the sidewalk. At only six years old, she didn’t know how to navigate most of the city, but she did know how to get to a few locations apart from her home.

At first, it seemed like Air Temple Island would be the best choice, but the girl soon remembered that Tenzin and her uncle weren’t there. Of course, there was always Kya and Bumi, but there would also be her aunt, who would give her just as strong a lecture about wandering away from the school by herself as her mother, if not worse.

There was also her Uncle Sokka’s house, but she wasn’t sure if he was there. Besides, she knew that if she went there her mother would soon find her, and Lin didn’t want to be found, at least not for a while anyway.

That left only one place, the docks. Her mother had taken her there many times over the years, and it was, secretly, one of her favorite places in the whole city. It was smelly and kind of gross, but it was the only thing that connected her to her dad. 

“Where is my dad?” she remembered asking, “Is he dead?”

It was Father’s Day and all the other children in her class had spent the morning making cards with crayons and glitter. Lin quickly realized that she was singled out, with only one of her classmates not having a dad either and his, the boy explained, had died.

“No. He’s not dead. At least, I don’t think he’s dead,” Toph answered.

She remembered how her mother bristled at the question.

“Where is he then?” Lin pressed further.

“He sailed off somewhere a long time ago,” her mother answered curtly.

It was the most explanation she’d ever gotten and since then she always looked forward to the opportunity to visit the docks. Each time she would stare at the faces of the men who passed by, searching for her father. 

She wasn’t sure what he looked like, but she figured she’d know when she saw him.

Her nose wrinkled as the smell of salt and fish guts filled her lungs. She found a spot to sit on a discarded wooden crate, pulling her bookbag off her shoulders and leaning it against her new seat. 

It was the perfect spot to watch for her dad, with men loading and unloading cargo from the ships that bobbed in the water below. 

Her eyes immediately settled on a man whose bald head gleamed in the sunlight. It reminded her of her uncle, only without the arrow. She squinted hard, trying to see his face. He turned suddenly, revealing small beady eyes under a thick line of hair that spread wildly over his brow.

“Definitely not him,” Lin determined, shifting to focus elsewhere.

Her gaze filtered through a crowd of men, all failing to meet her standards.

“Too fat,” she remarked of one.

“Too short,” she said of another.

“Not enough teeth,” she observed.

Time passed, and foot traffic slowed. Just when Lin had begun to grow bored, one man caught her eye.

He was tall with broad shoulders and tanned skin. A wave of jet black hair peaked out from under a dark green bandana, and his well-defined muscles tightened underneath his sleeves as he carried a large crate to the deck. Lin’s interest was piqued, and she watched the man for several more minutes, perched at the edge of her wooden seat. 

After a while, impatience inside her grew as well as a hint of nervousness. He could be the one. He certainly looked like her dad. Well, the way he looked in her head anyway. And he was strong enough to lift the biggest crates by himself, ticking off yet another box of her imagined qualities. 

As she watched, the worry in her mind grew. What if he didn’t recognize her? Or worse, if he didn’t want her?

The uncertainty kept her glued to her crate, too afraid to approach the man. But fear was soon eclipsed by the urgency that the stock of the ship he was unloading was nearly empty. He would be leaving soon and if she didn’t hurry, she might miss her chance to ask him.

Without a second though she rushed down the wood stairs, leaving her backpack behind still leaned against her crate. She wouldn’t be needing it after all, not if she got to sail off to sea with her dad. There was no school out in the ocean, that much she was sure of.

“Excuse me,” Lin said hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. 

The man continued on, not acknowledging her.

“Excuse me,” she tried again, this time louder.

“Uh, yes?” he replied, his voice deep and rumbling.

Lin was certain of it then. He had to be it. Her dad.

“Are you my dad?” she asked with newfound confidence.

The man paused, some of the others stopping beside him to hear his answer. He looked to them, questioningly.

“Well, I guess that depends. Who’s your mom?” he said, laughing loudly.

The men nearby joined in, a chorus of laughter ringing in Lin’s ears. She did not see what was so funny.

“Toph Beifong,” she said when the chuckles finally died down.

The crowd suddenly went silent. 

“My mom is Toph Beifong,” Lin repeated, concerned they might not have heard her the first time.

“Chief of Republic City Police?” the man asked, sharing a strange look with the men around him. 

“Yes!” she said excitedly. 

He knew her. It was proof.

“I knew it! I knew you were my dad. Mama told me you sailed off a long time ago, but I knew you’d come back!”

Lin was buzzing with anticipation, beaming up at the man she knew to be her father.

He cleared his throat, looking to his men once again and then back down to her.

“Uh, yeah. Here I am,” he said.

The other men soon followed in concurrence, nodding and backing his claim.

“Can I come with you?” Lin asked eagerly. “I don’t want to stay here anymore. I want to live with you and sail around the world.”

“Sure you can, but you see, the ship doesn’t leave until tomorrow, so tonight I’m staying at a place in town. Do you want to come with me?” A grin spread across the man’s lips.

“Yes!” the girl exclaimed

“Great. You hear that boys? My daughter is going to be joining us,” he said, garnering a few cheers from the others.

He beckoned her to follow him, and she obliged, happy to have accomplished her mission. Her mother taught her never to go with strangers, but this wasn’t a stranger, it was her dad. In just one day, she would be sailing the ocean with him, leaving behind Republic City. She didn’t bother to check her surroundings, following her father’s lead down several winding sidewalks and a few alleyways. 

It was several minutes before they arrived at a wooden door lying parallel to the floor. 

“It’s a secret hotel,” he explained. “Only sailors can stay there.”

Lin was afraid of the dark tunnel, but he assured her it was safe. When they finally came upon a door, he knocked four times in a strange rhythm and a small metal slot opened.

“Tao? What are you doing here?” a voice asked.

Tao. Her father’s name was Tao. She pledged to herself that she would remember it.

After a brief exchange, they entered. The stone room was filled with crates similar to the ones he’d been unloading at the docks. Piles of flowers were on top of them, and Lin thought it was odd. To have so many flowers, sailors sure did stink.

He led her into another room and her face scrunched at the smell of smoke. A man sat at a table, smoke curling out of a stick between his teeth. His hair was long, pulled into a bun atop his head. His thin eyes shifted to her, sending chills up her back.

“What is she doing here? This isn’t a playground, Tao. Keep the brats outside,” the man said.

Lin froze, not daring to travel any further into the room. Something was not right.

“Boss, I have someone I want you to meet,” Tao said, gesturing toward her. “This is the daughter of Toph Beifong. Chief Beifong.”

A smile slowly creeped over the man’s face, twisting in a way that made Lin’s hair stand on end. Her heartbeat spiked, and she knew instantly she shouldn’t be there. 

“My, my what a treat you have brought me. You have some use yet. Tie her up. We don’t need her getting away,” he ordered.

Tao turned to her, pulling a cord of rope from his pocket. 

Panic quickly set in, as the girl ran for the door.

“Oh no you don’t!” Tao said, grabbing her arm.

“Let go of me! Mama!” Lin screamed, tugging uselessly against his grip.

“Scream all you want, kid. She won’t be able to hear you,” Tao laughed, tying the rope around her wrists.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as the young earthbender wished for nothing more than to be reunited with her mother.


	7. The Rescue

Toph sat straight backed in her chair, her expression blank and unfeeling. It had been four hours since she issued an all-points bulletin for her daughter, sending her officers to scour the city for any signs of her.

“What’s going on?” Sokka said, bursting through the door of Toph’s office without any greetings.

Toph didn’t even have the energy to grow nervous at his arrival, her mind too tired and preoccupied with worry to bother. She’d spent two hours searching the city by foot before Katara drug her back to Headquarters, demanding she rest. Her legs throbbed from the effort, but if it weren’t for Katara she would’ve searched until she’d collapsed.

“Sokka, you made it,” Katara said, intercepting him on Toph’s behalf. 

“I came straight here from the council meeting, one of the officer’s showed up at the end and said something crazy. He said-“

“Lin’s missing,” Toph cut him off. Her voice was low, barely above a whisper. 

The watertribe siblings turned to face her. Her glazed over expression hadn’t changed, like a shadow covering her face.

“She’s missing, and it’s all my fault,” she continued, her breath catching in her throat. 

“Toph,” Katara said, reaching an arm toward her friend’s shoulder.

Her fingers had barely grazed the metal of her uniform when Toph shrunk away, pounding a fist on her desk so hard it left a sizable dent.

“Don’t! Don’t try to make me feel better about this Katara. I don’t deserve it.” Toph’s voice cut through the air, full of rage and hurt but mostly fear. “Lin ran away and now she’s out there somewhere scared and alone and it’s all because of me.”

“Don’t say that. We don’t know what happened, she could’ve just wandered off on her way home or maybe she . . .” Katara’s words were lost, the pounding in Toph’s head had drowned them out. 

It felt like something was trying to claw its way out of her skull. Was this how her parents felt when she’d run away with the Avatar? Her stomach twisted at the thought.

Bile suddenly rose in the back of her throat. Toph bent over, clutching her abdomen and clamping a hand over her mouth, struggling with herself. 

“What’s wrong?” Sokka’s voice cut through to her as she felt his hands wrap around her shoulders. 

Under any other circumstance, she would’ve jumped at his touch, nerves firing on edge with the unwelcome appearance of warm memories. But now she felt empty, like it didn’t matter at all.

“Toph you need to lie down and rest. I’m not sure you or your . . . body can take much more of this,” Katara skirted around her real meaning, knowing Toph would understand. 

Toph swallowed hard, anchoring herself and her stomach. Before she could answer, an officer burst through the door so hard the windows rattled. 

“Chief Beifong! We found something!” he reported.

With newfound resolve, Toph moved swiftly closer to him.

“What? What is it?” she demanded.

“It’s a backpack, ma’am.”

Toph’s fingers reached out slowly to the officer’s outstretched arms, letting them roll smoothly over the fabric. Her eyes widened. It was Lin’s.

“Where did you find this?” she asked desperately. 

“By the docks. We spoke with several potential witnesses. None have seen your daughter,” the officer responded.

She clenched her jaw. The docks were a meeting place for some of the most notorious thugs in Republic City and with direct access to ships, anyone could have easily smuggled her out of the city and to some far away land. Lin could be anywhere on the planet and the realization made Toph’s heart sink.

“I want all units to search every crack of this city within that area. Take me to where you found it,” she ordered.

The officer merely nodded in response, but Katara grabbed her elbow before she could step foot out of the door.

“You can’t go. You’re barely making it as it is. You have to consider your health,” Katara insisted.

With one forceful jerk, Toph was free and turned to face her friend.

“I don’t give a flying boar about my health. This is more important.” Toph barked.

A stormy look washed over the waterbender’s face. Katara knew the anger Toph must be feeling. After all, she couldn’t imagine the lengths she would go to save one of her own children if they had disappeared. She was angry too. The war was over, it had been over for years. There was no reason for their children to suffer the way they did, for them to fight for their lives, but here it was, happening. 

“More important than the baby?” Katara said.

The room grew silent and still. Katara regretted revealing a secret she knew not to be hers, but she also knew that Toph was letting emotion cloud her judgement. She had to be the voice of reason and if this was the only way of getting her to listen, then Katara was ready to face the consequences.

Toph’s hand tightened into a fist, her cloudy gaze falling to the floor. Katara tensed in front of her, preparing for a yelling match, but none ensued. They stood in brief silence before a voice cut through. 

“Baby? What baby?” Sokka asked.

Toph’s breath seized in her chest, and she thought she’d implode. But, now wasn’t the time. She couldn’t fall apart, not when Lin needed her.

Air filled her lungs as she prepared to lay it all out. The whole truth. She knew it would forever change things. None of their gang would look at her the same. Suki would hate her, as she should, and Sokka would feel obligated to remain by her side. He might even insist they get married. It wouldn’t be the end of the world, Toph supposed. Sokka would make a fine dad, a fine husband. But she knew it wouldn’t be the same. He would simply be settling for her. He would never truly be hers. 

The thoughts poured into her mind as she formulated the words. It was simple, really. All she had to say was, “Ours. Our baby.” But before a syllable could escape her mouth, a tapping interrupted.

A distinct clink against glass. It was quiet at first, but quickly grew louder and more urgent.

“What is that?” Toph asked instead.

“It’s looks like a messenger hawk,” Katara said, moving to open the window.

Toph heard her unroll a paper, the coarse material scrubbing against Katara’s thumb. 

“What does it say?” Toph asked impatiently.

“It’s- It’s a ransom letter,” Katara said shakily. 

Her heartbeat quickened, she was afraid, and Toph could feel it. Her own pulse raced in response. The worst of her fears had been confirmed, someone had kidnapped her daughter. 

“What do they want?” Sokka asked, moving to read the scroll over Katara’s shoulder.

“Two million Yuans by sunrise in exchange for Lin,” Katara revealed, shifting to let her brother read.

Toph’s eyes widened. At least she was safe for now. They wouldn’t lay a hand on her until they got their money.

“There isn’t a name. Only a letter R,” Sokka announced.

“Ryu,” Toph said, her voice at a low growl. 

“Crime Lord Smuggler Ryu? Ruthless Ryu?” Katara asked.

She remembered Aang spending several worry filled nights over the man and his escape months prior. He had been on the Republic City’s Most Wanted List for over a year, and he had every reason to hate the Chief of Police who put him on it. Holding her daughter hostage was the ultimate leverage. 

“Gather up all the officers. The raid can’t wait until morning. I want everyone suited up. We leave in ten,” Toph ordered, her officer jogging off immediately. “You two are staying here. I can’t have civilians mixed up in all this.”

Her voice was steady, falling back into the commanding tone that came with the job. She had to push her feelings to the side for now, cage them up until she got her hands on him, the man who kidnapped her daughter. Toph already imagined his skull smashing against rock.

“Like hell we are,” Sokka said, taking a step forward. 

“You shouldn’t be going yourself. I know you want to save Lin, but you have to protect yourself too,” Katara insisted.

Toph grit her teeth. The secret was out, and there was nothing she could do to change that. Deep down, she knew Katara was right. In the scramble to find Lin, she cast her baby’s health to the wayside and Ryu would make no distinction between a regular Chief of Police and a pregnant one. 

But Lin was in trouble, and Toph would do whatever it took to save her daughter. She would level all of Republic City to a pile of rubble and bury Ryu and his men beneath it if she had to. 

“Fine.” Toph said, turning toward the door, “If you’re so worried about the baby, then you can come and help protect it. But I don’t want either of you two doing anything stupid. You stick by me the entire time, got it?”

Toph felt Katara’s posture loosen slightly, exhibiting relief, if only a small amount. 

“Let’s go get Lin,” Sokka said.

As Toph walked away she wondered if she were making the right decision. Though she knew the siblings could hold their own in a fight, it had been years since they’d had to. If they were to get injured it would be a paperwork nightmare but even more than that, a blow to her conscious. This should be her burden to bear and hers alone. Still, part of her was glad. It almost felt like old times and if it weren’t for the unwavering concern for her daughter, she might’ve let herself revel in that nostalgia, but she had a job to do. 

“I’m coming Lin,” she whispered beneath her breath, rubbing a palm over her stomach. “Just hold on.”

xxx

The muscles in Toph’s fingers went rigid as she bended off a single strip of metal from her armor. Feeling for the tiny shards of earth within it, she manipulated it. It was an odd shape and difficult for her to dig up from the crevices of her memory, but not impossible.

With enough concentration she had it, bending the metal into a slight curve and making its inner edge as sharp as she could manage. Satisfied, she let the metal fall into her hands, judging its weight for signs of familiarity.

“Does this work?” she asked, holding it deftly to the side.

Sokka took it, inspecting the edge closely and tossing it gently between his hands. 

“It’s not my old trusty boomerang, but it’ll do for now,” he approved.

Toph heard it swish through the air and felt his posture tense as he caught it.

“Remember that’s only for defense. No swinging that thing around for fun,” Toph reminded.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Sokka said jogging alongside her.

Toph only sighed in response, crossing her arms over her stomach. It felt like a nightmare and every step of the way toward the smuggler’s den was agony. 

What if I was wrong? What if they already hurt her? The ideas swirled their way through her mind wreaking havoc as they went. Her nails dug into her palm so hard she thought they’d draw blood.

“If they lay so much as a finger on her I’ll kill them,” Toph growled between breaths.

If Katara had any peaceful advice, she didn’t offer it. After all, her husband was the air nomad, not her. Though his passiveness had rubbed off on her quite a bit over the years, even she knew the lengths she’d go to for her children and the things she’d do if anyone were to hurt them. And Lin was one of her own, as far as the waterbender was concerned. So, anger rose itself inside her too, though it came nowhere near rivaling Toph’s.

She was concerned for her friend who marched hurriedly down the side of the dark streets. A chill nipped at Katara’s cheeks. The weather was in that transitionary period between fall and winter, not yet cold enough to remind her of her home in the south, but not warm enough to be entirely comfortable without sleeves. The temperature had dropped slightly since the sun had set, but if it bothered Toph it didn’t show. It was as if rage fueled her entirely, warming her from within. 

They rounded a corner, but before Toph could rush toward the hideout Sokka grabbed her wrist.

“Hold up,” he said. “We can’t just go in there without a plan.”

The handful of officers who traveled with them gathered near, waiting for instruction. In her hurry to get to her daughter, Toph had momentarily forgotten that the others would look to her for guidance. 

The Chief of Police took a deep breath, before stomping the ground. The wave of vibrations it sent out gave her a clear picture of the building across the street. 

Her heartbeat increased as she felt Lin. She was tied to a chair, afraid but alive.

“There’s at least two dozen of them. They’ve got Lin tied up in the basement,” Toph reported.

“Can you tunnel us in from below?” Sokka asked.

“No. Ryu is in the basement with Lin. If we burst in there, he could hurt her,” Toph explained.

“So, we go with the element of surprise then?” Katara offered.

Toph focused, ignoring the adrenaline rushing through her body in an attempt to form a plan. 

“There are three floors. If we can take out the ones on the first and second floor without alerting the ones downstairs, we might be able to pinch them in. If we coordinate attacks from above and below, we could get to Lin before Ryu,” Toph said.

It was dicey, far riskier than she liked with her daughter on the line. One wrong move and they would lose the advantage, but it was all she had.

Two of the officers bent the earth below, hopping into a tunnel headed for the underground entrance.

“If they try to make a run for it, you have to cut them off,” Sokka whispered to them from the surface.

The men nodded, covering the ground above them so it looked entirely undisturbed. 

The remaining officers moved quickly to the darkness of any alleyway beside the hideout, skillfully dodging the light that poured from the windows. 

Katara and Sokka ran by Toph’s side wordlessly, as Toph raised a pillar of earth to the roof. 

“There’s six of them,” Toph informed, stepping gently over the roof’s earthen tiles as to not give away their position.

She could feel Katara shift as she drew the water from the leather pouch at her hip and Sokka’s muscles tense as he gripped his makeshift boomerang. In one swift move, Toph displaced the stone beneath them dropping them into the room. 

It was a frenzy of movements. Each of the thugs were taken aback and the three took advantage of their stunned state. 

With one hand, Toph sent two strips of metal through the air, clapping over the mouths of two of the men. She heard the whir of metal fly through the air and crack against the skull of another. 

Katara moved gracefully across the wooden floor, wielding a stream of water that whipped against two other men, sending them falling to the ground. 

With her metal cables, Toph snagged the wrists of her two men. She snapped the tension of the wires, pulling the two bodies quickly together in a collision with enough force to knock each other out.   
She counted them out in her head, remembering suddenly that one was missing. 

Just as the thought crossed her mind a blaze of heat swirled by her head, extinguishing on the stone wall behind her

“Ryu?” she thought, dodging another attack. “No. Ryu wouldn’t miss.”

She bent the metal covering her forearm so that it moved over her fingers, shaping over her fist tightly. A single grunt escaped her mouth as she hooked the tall man square in the jaw. The force sent him reeling toward the ground where Sokka caught him before his heavy figure could rumble against the wooden floor. 

“That was for Lin,” Toph whispered, spitting deftly in the direction of the man heaped unconsciously below her.

The three stood for a moment, assessing the men in various positions on the floor and ensuring none of them remained conscious. Toph wanted to check for Lin, but with no earth under her feet her visions were less clear and limited in range. Wood did not carry vibrations as well as solid earth and a stomp might draw unwanted attention. Instead, she opened the door to the stairwell, hoping her officers had executed their part of the mission as well. 

The three friends entered the room just as the final thug slumped quietly to the floor. So far, it seemed, stealth was on their side. The group convened at the door to the basement, preparing to burst in.

Though everything had gone smoothly so far, the uneasiness in Toph’s chest had yet to disappear. Ryu was smart, and he always kept his best benders by his side. The guys they had just taken out were nothing more than some low level lackies. Below, was the buzzard wasp nest. 

She took a deep breath, her hand stretching out for the handle when the door opened before her fingers could grasp the latch.

“Hey guys boss says-“ the man stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening at the sight before him. 

Toph felt the thug shift his weight, drawing back to send a volley of bending toward them, but before he could successfully finish the move she landed a kick to the center of his chest, sending him flying down the wooden stairs. His body gave a gut twisting crunch as he landed onto the stone floor below.

“So much for stealth,” Katara said, gliding down the stairs behind Toph who took them two at a time.

As soon as a callused foot touched the stone tile beneath the stairwell an image blossomed in Toph’s mind. There were ten of them in the spacious basement, all stirring at the sudden appearance of the police. She felt for the outline of their bodies, finding Lin in the furthest corner of the room. 

“Republic City Police. Hands in the air!” one of her officers shouted.

There were at least three bodies between her and Lin. If she could propel herself forward fast enough maybe she could force her way through, but then there was the chance one of them could strike a blow to her abdomen. 

Toph was preparing to take her chances, digging her toes in to push herself off when a voice cut through the air.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Chief Beifong,” Ryu said, addressing her with a voice full of contempt.

She sucked in a breath, feeling for him across the room. In such a hurry to find Lin, she’d overlooked him standing only a few strides away from her daughter. In the few seconds it took to get herself oriented he had already made his way over to her, a single hand gripping her shoulder. 

“You see, I’d hate for anyone to get hurt,” he threatened.

A cold sweat rolled its way down the nape of Toph’s neck as she heard Lin’s cries muffled behind cloth. 

“Let her go,” Toph growled, baring her teeth like a feral animal.

“That’s an interesting proposition. I really will have to think about that one. The Chief of Police’s daughter in exchange for . . .” he trailed off, baiting a response.

Toph was no fool. There was nothing she could offer that would make him back down, not when he had the ultimate bargaining chip. 

“Let her go, and I’ll consider not killing you dead where you stand,” the earthbender said firmly.

Ryu laughed, the sound was harsh and forced. In one move, he pulled Lin upright making her stand in front of him.

“Hmm. I guess that means I’ve made my decision, then,” Ryu said.

Lin shrieked, the cloth falling from her mouth as Ryu gripped her tightly. Toph heard the crash of something falling on the ground as the man blasted a hole through the wooden ceiling above and felt his feet leave the floor. He propelled himself upward, blasting trails of fire in his wake that made the room hot and dry. Toph could only stand wordlessly as he escaped with Lin hanging off his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! This was a tough chapter to write so I hope everything ended up coming across as I wanted it to. Please feel free to leave some feedback or any thoughts you have in the comments! :)


	8. The Showdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue awesome fight scene* At least, I hope it's an awesome fight scene. As always, I appreciate any and all feedback in the comments. Sorry for taking so long, but I hope this long chapter makes up for it :)

The room erupted. Lost in her focus on an escaping Ryu, Toph left herself open. One thug took the opportunity to send a sharp pike of ice railing toward her.

“Toph watch out!” Sokka yelled, moving to pull her to safety. 

He was a beat too late, but at the last second Toph shifted her shoulders spinning away from the attack. The edge of the ice missed its initial target of between her eyes and instead shot past her. She whisked away the stinging sensation on her face where it sliced a dark red line across her cheek, the blood already beading at the site. 

Then, she released a sound of pure guttural rage. The ground beneath them shook, a pulsing quake that made everyone shift unsteadily about as they lurched to keep their balance. 

A single stomp sent the waterbender catapulting through the air. His body, propelled by a column of stone, smashed against the solid wall behind him.

Katara suddenly worried that the impact might’ve killed him and the consequences such a deadly act might bring to her friend, but Toph didn’t seem to care. In all the years she had known her and all the many fights they had been in, Katara had never seen the earthbender so full of wrath.

As much as she wanted to calm her down, there was no time. The remaining thugs had regained their footing and charged at their assailants with full force. Katara squared off with a fire bender whose crimson flames came far too close for her liking. 

Normally, she could have quickly overtaken him despite his obviously well-trained skills, but she was running out of water. With every bend she had to be careful to conserve it, to make it last. 

Around her, metal cables whizzed through the air and with the close quarters it was difficult to reign in more powerful attacks for fear of friendly fire. Between dodging the firebender’s attacks, Katara searched for her friends through the frenzy of movement.

Sokka had taken to hand to hand combat with a particularly large man, strangling him from behind and sending them both crashing into a wooden crate. She momentarily wondered if she should step in to help when her opponent sent a flaming kick toward her, nearly hitting her square on. 

Katara turned to face him, keeping her water close to her body in a defensive position. She waited, bouncing from foot to foot. Just when she thought she’d send a counter strike his way the man suddenly froze. 

His dark brown eyes bulged from his head and the fire that danced on his palms quickly extinguished. Instead, his fingers grasped furiously at his neck, clawing at something. 

Confusion crossed Katara’s face until she saw it. A thin gold chain was wrapped around his neck. The jewelry dug hard into his windpipe, leaving him only to struggle in vain as it suffocated him.

Katara looked past him, seeing Toph stand on the other side with a single fist outraised. The tighter the earthbender’s fingers wound, the more the necklace constricted. 

“Toph! Stop!” Katara yelled.

The Chief’s eyebrows raised. A heartbeat passed then her hand loosened, letting the firebender drop to the floor taking deep and shaky gasps for air. Katara had to stop herself from running toward him, her healer instinct nearly taking over. 

She was about to make her way to Toph when a loud crash caught her attention. Toph’s face was eerily blank as she drove herself through a new hole in the wooden roof above with a mound of earth.

“Wait!” Katara said, reaching out a hand, but she was already gone. 

The waterbender used her last bit of water to freeze the body of the thug who positioned himself between her and the stairs, slipping past him and running upward at full speed.

Above ground, Toph stomped hard, willing all of her power into her seismic sense that sent a picture into her mind of a radius much larger than she had ever attempted before. 

Several blocks over she felt someone running, ducking through corridors and heading in the direction of the docks. Taking a deep breath, Toph raised the earth around her. The great piles of rock helped her run faster as her legs pumped in the direction of the docks. They left layers of uneven rubble in her wake, but she didn’t slow down to think about it. 

Her muscles burned with energy, and her breaths were quick and sharp. Her brain was the clearest it had been in months, with only one objective: get to Lin. 

She had to catch him before he got to the boats. If he stepped aboard one of those ships, she couldn’t reach him with her seismic sense, and if he managed to sail off, she might never find her daughter again. 

As she grew closer, the effort began to weigh on her. Her heartbeat thumped loudly in her ears and fatigue rolled down her spine, but she grew numb to it as she suddenly heard Lin cry out.

“Mama!”

“Shut up, girl!” she heard Ryu yell.

“Lin!” Toph yelled, launching herself forward. 

One of her cables caught on a nearby lamppost, allowing her to swing and catch herself, her hands dragging against the ground. The rocky earth dug carved gashes into her palms, but she paid them no mind, reeling in her cable with the flick of her wrist. 

They hadn’t made it to the docks, but they were close. Beside her, Toph could hear the ocean lapping against the rocky shore. The ground cut off abruptly, careening down to the salty waves below. 

Toph stretched out her fingers, preparing to bend the earth around the man’s ankles, but just as she did, he called out.

“Not another move,” he said, his gravelly voice giving away no hint of fear. “I know you’re blinder than a badgermole so allow me to open your eyes. If I see so much as a twitch from you, she burns to a crisp, got it?”

Toph could feel his heartbeat was abnormally calm for such deep threats. It meant that he wasn’t lying, that he meant every word he said. Her jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

Slowly, she raised her palms by her head in surrender, not willing to risk any sudden movements.

“Don’t hurt her. Just tell me what you want,” Toph said.

She hated every word. It felt like giving in, like losing.

His heartbeat soared. He reveled in her groveling.

“I tried to bargain with you once. You took my kindness for granted,” he barked.

Toph could feel Lin squirming against his grip, her legs dangling above the ground as he held her to his chest.

She felt for any metal on his body, trying to see if she could bend it remotely, but there was none. He was far too clever for that.

“You know, I think I’m starting to grow fond of this girl. I think I just might keep her,” Ryu said.

Toph’s teeth ground together as her brain searched for something, anything she could do. All the confused thoughts were silenced however, as a yell pierced through the air. It wasn’t hers or Ryu’s. It was Lin.

Toph’s arms withdrew instinctually, fearing that Ryu had made good on his earlier threat, but she quickly realized that it wasn’t a cry of pain, but of effort. The ground beneath Ryu rumbled, rocking him unsteadily. The young girl took the opportunity to spring from his arms, her small feet thudding clearly on the ground below.

She’d only made it a few steps when Ryu realized what was happening, his arm pulling back to send a volley of fire. Toph stomped, raising a flat chunk of earth between the two, successfully blocking the blow. Lin sprinted toward her mother at full speed and Toph ran to meet her, but before the two reached one another Ryu vaulted over the earthen barrier, flames shooting from behind. 

He sent a ball of flame with great force, crackling and burning straight for Lin’s back. In one move, Toph shifted the earth beneath her daughter’s legs. The sudden change sent her tumbling to the ground and Toph winced at the sound, but she had no time to check on her, with Ryu flying toward her. 

Another burst of flame shot toward her, but she listened for it, bending a bit of rock to shield her. 

“You can’t keep this up!” Ryu shouted.

More flames engulfed the air around her, barely missing her skin. If it weren’t for her armor, Toph felt certain it would have singed the hair off her arms. Calling forth boulders from the ground, she punched them at him. Breaths came sharp and quick. As much as she hated to think it, Ryu was right. Her arms were growing tired and her heartbeat pounded against her skull. She had to end this and quickly. 

She bided her time, dodging his attacks and going on the defensive, waiting for the perfect time to strike. His movements were light and every time she thought she might be able to send a metal wire his way he would launch through the air, pushing her further and further back.

A bead of sweat rolled down her temple but she didn’t have the time to wipe it away, too busy bending the metal of her armor into a makeshift shield as a wave of flame beat down on her. She let it push her back, heels digging into the earth below. Toph let out a groan, her voice crackly and dry with exhaustion. 

“Leave her alone!” Lin cried, kicking a wave of earth toward him.

Ryu dodged the attack skillfully, a smirk playing across his lips.

“So, the little girl can bend after all, just when I was about to think you were as pitiful as your mother. Well, in that case,” he said.

The firebender suddenly went on attack, shooting two flames rocketing toward Lin. 

“Lin!” Toph shouted.

The girl’s arms bent instinctually to cover her face as she braced for impact. She screamed, feeling the heat of the flames bite at her, but hesitated. Though it grew uncomfortably hot there was no pain. Instead, she opened her eyes to see her mother’s armor covering her entire upper body. 

In the split second, Toph bent her armor from her own body to cover Lin’s. She didn’t like the idea of being exposed, with only a white tank top hugging her frame above her baggy green trousers. With no armor to cover her, the thin material clung to her, clearly showing her small but visible belly.

“Oh, I see now. I was wondering what was holding you back, Chief. It’s not like you to move so slow,” Ryu mocked, firing more flames at her. 

She dodged and parried with rock, but nothing made contact. He was fast. Too fast.

Toph could feel him bouncing on the balls of his feet. She was running out of energy, but despite his boastful insults, she could tell he was too. All she had to do was wait for him to slip up and try not to let Lin or herself get hurt.

“I guess I should’ve known,” Ryu said between blows, “Little girl here goes running off searching for her daddy because mommy is too busy with her replacement is that it?”

Anger rose inside Toph, bringing her newfound vigor.

“It’s sad, really. She doesn’t even know who her father is, so she goes chasing after one of my boys thinking she’s finally found him,” he went on.

He danced around her boulders, destroying some with burst of fire that sent pebbles scattering across the ground. 

“I mean, how disgraceful. I bet you don’t even know who he is. I guess Chief Beifong isn’t such a stand-up citizen after all, huh?” 

That was all it took to burst the dam. She roared with anger, chucking a barrage of boulders at him. He stepped back to dodge one only to be thwacked in the temple by a smaller rock that Lin bent at him from the side. 

He turned to find the culprit, and it was the moment of hesitation Toph needed. She raised the earth around his ankles, trapping his legs. Before he could react, she sent both cables toward him, latching onto his wrists and pulling his arms taut to his sides. 

He wrapped his hands around them, the metal glowing orange as he melted the wire slowly. Toph stomped once more, raising the earth to meet his arms, entrapping them in rock. 

He spat and bellowed, fighting at his rocky restraints. The effort was useless. There was no amount of fire that was going to save him. 

Lin stood to the side, watching with eyes wide as the man cursed and writhed. Her mother walked slowly toward him, and he screamed at her.

“Throw me in jail, you bitch. We’ll see how long I stay in there. I’ve got people everywhere, remember? It’s only a matter of time before I get out and when I do, I plan on finishing what I started here!”

Toph’s feet thudded lightly against the ground. She waited until she got within arm’s reach, until she could feel the heat pouring off his body in waves of hot air. 

He eyed her suspiciously, her shadowed eyes giving away nothing. 

“What are you going to do, Chief? I’d hate to see you lose that shiny badge of yours for roughing up a culprit. Not that I’d put it past you. You know what they say about loose-“

Her hand shot out, grasping his jaw hard. Her callused fingers dug into his cheeks, tightening so hard it was certain to leave a bruise. Her breathing was shallow, as if she were battling the urge to break his jawbone. 

“You will not lay another finger on my family again. You’ll be smarter to stay in jail because if you ever come near my children, I won’t hesitate to gut you where you stand. This badge means nothing to me,” Toph growled.

With every word her grip on his face tightened and the earth surrounding his body restricted. Eventually, his screams turned from anger to pain, joints twisting under the pressure. Ryu’s bones creaked, every second deepening his agony. For the first time in the night, fear passed over his face. She wasn’t bluffing. She was going to kill him.

“Toph stop!” a voice cried. 

It was Katara. Her breathing was heavy after chasing them down. Without the benefit of seismic sense, she’d had to track them down by only following the trail of destruction Toph left behind and without earthbending, it took her much longer to catch up. 

“He’s not worth it, Toph. I know you’re angry, but he knows what he’s doing. If you kill him, he gets the satisfaction of taking you down with him. Don’t give him what he wants,” Katara reasoned. 

Her thumb ground his cheek as she mulled it over. Everything in her told her to do it, to end him then and there so he could never hurt them again. But Katara’s voice echoed in her head. She was Chief of police and if her record was forever tarnished for protecting her family, then she figured she could live with that, but Katara was right.

More than that, however, was the small heartbeat she felt thundering a few strides away. Lin was terrified. Killing this man in front of her daughter was not something she wanted to put Lin through, no matter how much he deserved it. 

Ultimately, she dropped her hand from his jaw and turned to her daughter. She jogged lightly to where Lin stood, her figure like stone, weighed down by her mother’s armor. Toph dove down, her knees dragging against the earth as she wrapped her arms around Lin in a hug. 

Lin sobbed softly into her shoulder, her slender arms squeezing her mother’s neck tighter than she meant to. Toph didn’t care. She was overwhelmed with relief. Her daughter was finally safe and in her arms. 

With a new sense of confidence, Ryu wiggled his jaw in an attempt to loosen it, preparing to interject once more. Toph heard a stream of ocean water move through the air and crackle into ice. Katara had bent it into a muzzle of sorts, freezing it to his lower face with only enough room for him to breathe through his nose. 

“Shut it!” she said, crossing her arms.

She wanted to do more, to maybe even instill a bit of frostbite after what he’d put her niece through, her friend through. But she let her better judgment take control, almost annoyed with herself at how much her conscious sounded like her husband’s peaceful teachings. 

“Don’t you ever run away again,” Toph said, her voice barely audible over Lin’s heavy breaths.

Her daughter wailed something in return, but it was too garbled to decipher. Toph simply let her cry, not letting go. Exhaustion quickly took over, and Toph sank the two of them back toward the ground, letting the cool rock embrace her aching back muscles. She sucked air into her lungs, her heartrate still abnormally high on adrenaline. 

Katara waited, allowing the two a few minutes on their own before checking in.

“What happened?” She asked first, peering down at the two as her own feeling of relief filled her chest. 

“He was headed for the docks, trying to get Lin on a boat and get out of the city before we could find them. I caught them right before they got there. He put up a good fight, but Lin helped me take him down,” Toph answered, gingerly trying to calm her daughter. 

Lin’s sobs had quieted some as she wiped furiously at the water streaming down her face.

A small smile filled Katara’s lips. It was rare to see the two so affectionate and she was just so glad it was all over, that Lin was alive and unhurt. She let them lie there a moment, just as much catching her own breath. 

Soon, Sokka and two officers appeared, all equally thankful to see everyone okay, and Ryu in custody. 

“I know you’re tired, but we need to get you back to the station and out of the cold. I want to look over all three of you and make sure you’re all alright,” Katara said.

Sokka moved to Toph’s side, helping pull her up. Lin never released her grip around Toph’s neck, so Katara moved to her other side to help readjust her weight. 

Though she tried to hide it, her muscles strained under the effort. A dull ache had already begun to spread over her body and the cold threatened to sap all the warmth from her until a warm fabric draped itself across her shoulders.

It was Sokka’s parka. The watertribe furs provided a pleasant warmth and their smell brought back a flood of memories that made Toph’s stomach swim slightly. She liked to think it was the baby already moving in response to its father. 

With her free hand, she rested her palm on her stomach, feeling as best she could. She hoped the watertribe siblings couldn’t hear her whisper as she beckoned the feeling of a tiny heartbeat.

“C’mon kid.”

She knew that rescuing Lin would come at a real chance of hurting or even, though she hated to think about it, losing her baby. She was lucky that none of Ryu’s blows had hit her abdomen and that she hadn’t fallen, and that brought her a small amount of comfort, but she was still worried. She had exerted a lot of energy in that fight and had more close calls than she would’ve liked. Her pounding heartbeat couldn’t be great for the infant inside her. 

Panic had begun to sink its claws into her, as she felt with nothing in response, but suddenly she felt it, the vibrations tingling against her nearly numb fingers. 

“There you are,” she whispered.

They were safe. All of them. 

As they walked away, Toph felt a few more officers arrive with a cart pulled by a galloping ostrich horse. It seemed they had already collected Ryu’s men who were piled in the back in various stages of unconsciousness. 

“Bring them all in for booking and don’t take your eyes off him for a second. I want him under maximum security until after the trial. Tape off the hideout until we can finish bagging and tagging in the morning. I want the arrest reports on my desk by tomorrow afternoon,” Toph ordered.

Her officers nodded, moving to fulfill their duties in silence.

“Woah there, maybe you shouldn’t worry about paperwork right now,” Sokka said, laying a gentle hand on her back.

It was an innocent display of concern, and Toph realized he was right. She let her two friends help her on her return to headquarters. For once, she didn’t complain at their doting, focusing only on the press of Lin’s body against her shoulders. She was heavy, probably too heavy to be carried like this, but Toph knew she needed it and so she ignored the pain in her muscles. 

When they finally reached her office, Toph made Katara check over Lin first, insisting she tell her everything that happened between the time she’d left school and the raid. Toph sat silently behind her desk, listening to her daughter’s words, grinding her teeth in residual anger, and cursing herself. She felt for Lin’s heartbeat, ensuring that she wasn’t withholding anything or altering the truth in anyway. She was relieved to hear her tell the truth, though she could tell Lin was still afraid. 

“Alright, your turn,” Katara said, moving toward her wielding warm liquid around her fingers.

Toph nodded, wrapping her fingers around the bottom of her shirt, soiled with dirt and ash. 

In the corner of the room Sokka cleared his throat suddenly, “I think I’m gonna step outside and see if the officers have gotten back yet.”

Toph sighed as he shut the door behind him. _Not like its anything you haven’t seen before Snoozles_ , she thought. 

The warm liquid felt good as it moved over her abdomen and she could practically feel Lin’s eyes peering at her from the couch at the side of the room.

Katara let out a small breath, one that Toph could feel her holding.

“Looks like you and the baby are alright. I don’t feel any internal damage and the infant’s heartrate is normal for this stage,” the waterbender reported. “Your arms are pretty bruised up and you’ve got a nasty cut on your cheek.”

“Heh, I could’ve told you that,” Toph quipped, pulling the corner of her lip upward. The cut stung and itched at the agitation. 

“Hold still,” Katara ordered, enveloping the side of her face in water. 

She could feel her skin warm as the cut grew smaller, mending itself back together under Katara’s gentle guidance.

“There,” Katara said finally, “It still might leave a scar.”

“A little scar won’t kill me. Besides, I hear those things make people look tough,” Toph replied.

Katara crossed her arms, letting out a sigh. 

“So, the baby’s okay?” Lin’s small voice asked.

Toph’s hand moved instinctually to her stomach. She remembered what Ryu said, that this child was a replacement. Though she knew she shouldn’t, she thought he might be right. At least, it would explain why Lin was so angry, why she decided to run away.

“Yes, the baby is okay,” Katara answered.

Toph could feel Lin’s breaths shorten as the girl struggled to fight a new batch of tears, and her own chest tightened in response.

“Lin, I’m sorry that I forgot you at school. I never should’ve let work get in the way, and I never meant for you to feel like this baby is a replacement for you,” Toph said.

She felt Lin’s small footsteps carrying her closer, her slender frame crashing against her own body. Toph squeezed her daughter tightly, ignoring the emotion that leaked from her eyes and the sting of saltwater against her still healing wounds. 

“I love you, Mama,” Lin said, her words laced with tears.

“Love you too, kid,” Toph said, pulling her in even tighter. “What do you say we go home? We could both use a bath and some sleep.”

Lin nodded into Toph’s chest.

Katara smiled at them, tiredness biting at her too. Though she was anxious to get back to Air Temple Island and check on her own children, part of her was worried to leave the two. 

“Make sure you rest all day tomorrow. I’ll be over in the evening to check in,” Katara said finally.

Toph stood, enveloping her friend in rare embrace. 

“Thank you, Katara. For everything.”

The words didn’t feel like enough, but they would have to do. Her daughter and the comfort of a soft bed were waiting for her.


	9. A Much Needed Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's kind of short, but I wanted to get a chapter in before things get busy with Christmas. Hope you enjoy!

Warmth tingled her nose, rousing her from a deep sleep in a slow gentle way that only came on a rare day of rest. It was the spring sun pouring through her bedroom window which had quite the nice view of Yue Bay, so she’d been told. She, of course, awoke to the same image everyday which was the absence of any image at all. But laying in embrace of warm sheets with the sunlight glowing on her skin, Toph Beifong let herself relax in what she could only describe as the color yellow. Or at least that was how Lin chose to describe it to her a few weeks ago. 

A smile spread across her lips. No reports to go over, no meetings to attend, and no blocks to patrol. She had the entire morning to herself.

It was the most peace she’d felt in the last five months, and she planned to capitalize on it. That is, until she heard a set of footsteps thundering toward her at full speed. Toph’s muscles tensed as she prepared for impact.

“Look out below!” Lin bellowed, throwing herself spread eagle hawk through the air.

She landed with a solid thud on the mattress just beside her mother, melting into a pile of laughter.

“Lin Beifong you almost gave me a heart attack!” Toph chastised. 

She propped herself up on her elbows, looking in the direction of her daughter who still went on laughing. Her lips turned to a mischievous grin, and she turned to her side, running her fingers down Lin’s ribs. Her daughter’s laughter multiplied, limbs tossing wildly about.

“Stop!” Lin pleaded between gasps for air.

“What was that? Sorry I can’t hear you,” Toph teased, continuing with her tickling. 

Lin squirmed helplessly, laughing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath to repeat herself. 

Finally satisfied, Toph stopped her tickling, a smug grin still covering her face. She could feel her daughter’s heart beating rapidly beside her as she let out the occasional giggle. Toph closed her eyes and leaned back, reveling in the sound. She was glad to feel her daughter next to her not only safe but happy. Mornings like these were so rare they were virtually nonexistent, so Toph figured she might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

“So, kid, what do you want to do today?” Toph asked, eyes still shut.

Lin finally gathered enough breath to reply. “You don’t have work today?”

Toph released a heavy breath from her nose. She knew it was an innocent question, but it stung. As Katara advised, Toph had stayed with Lin at home after the incident. The story had blown up in the Republic City Newspapers, making the front page. Toph knew keeping Lin at home for a little while was for the best, to keep her away from prying eyes and endless questions, but the sudden unrest did nothing but pile more work onto the police chief’s plate. After the first few days Lin ended up spending the week at Air Temple Island after Toph returned to work to personally oversee the closing of the case and doing as much damage control was possible. 

In the months since then she spent more time in the office than anywhere else and whatever time she wasn’t working was occupied by the search for a new apartment. She knew that she wouldn’t have such off time even now if it weren’t mandatory.

“Nope,” Toph said, “No work for a while actually.”

She rolled to her side, letting her swollen stomach sit between the two of them and laying a hand across it. 

“Not until after this little one comes along. Aunt Katara’s orders,” Toph explained.

She felt Lin shift to her side to face her. 

“So, she’s coming soon then?” Lin asked.

“She? How do you know it’s a girl?” Toph replied.

“I dunno I just do. I’m having a sister,” Lin answered matter of factly.

Toph was stumped. Lin barely ever spoke about the baby. Despite how much time had passed it still seemed to be a sore subject. She acted as if it would disappear if she simply didn’t speak it into existence. For her to make such a firm and baseless assertion was shocking. 

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Katara said she thinks it’ll be another two weeks or so. Which means that until then me and you have some time to spend together,” Toph said, giving her daughter’s forehead a firm poke.

She felt Lin scrunch up her face, thinking hard. A lazy smile covered her lips, she loved it when Lin did that.

“I have lots of homework to do,” she said. 

“Ugh school. Can’t you think about anything else?” Toph groaned.

Lin was always the diligent child. While she did have her mother’s defining reckless streak, she was also focused on her schoolwork, something that undoubtedly had to have come from her father.

“I like school. My teacher says that if I keep it up, I might get the student of the year award,” Lin reported triumphantly. 

“Don’t get me wrong, kid, that’s great and all but shouldn’t you be worried about, I don’t know, throwing rocks at the other kids or something? You’re like seven years old,” Toph reasoned.

“Seven years and two months,” Lin corrected, as if that made all the difference. “You didn’t like school?”

Toph let a sharp laugh leave her throat. 

“I didn’t go to school, dummy,” she said, waving in front of her clouded eyes. “Your grandparents hired me private tutors instead, but it was all so boring. When I was your age I would sneak out of my lessons and go hide out in the badgermole caves so I could practice my bending. Don’t get me wrong school is important but not as important as how well you can kick ass.”

Lin only sighed at her mother’s logic, wholly unconvinced.

“Speaking of,” Toph went on. “How about some training this morning? We need to work on your skills some more.”

“Ugh,” Lin groaned, “Do we have to?”

“Does a platypus bear poop in the woods? C’mon, Lin, don’t you want to get better? You’ll never get to metalbending like you want unless you get better at earthbending first,” Toph reasoned, ruffling her daughter’s hair a bit.

“Fine I guess you’re right,” Lin said, sliding herself off the mattress begrudgingly. 

“I could get used to the sound of that,” Toph joked.

She felt Lin’s footsteps wander further away, headed downstairs. 

“Wait,” she interrupted.

She felt her daughter stop then walk closer again.

“First step of today’s training,” Toph announced, holding out her hand.

Lin eyed her suspiciously but took only a brief moment to catch on. She shook her head, taking her mother’s hand and pulling with all her might.

Toph released a breath of relief when finally pulled upright. Sitting up each morning was a task in itself, and anytime she could exploit Lin’s help to do it was a victory. Her stomach was huge, far bigger than it had grown during her first pregnancy. She swore if someone asked if she was having twins one more time, she’d send a boulder flying at their head. Although, in all honesty, she had asked Katara to ensure she hadn’t miscounted during her last checkup. 

“Nope. There’s only one little one swimming around in there,” Katara assured.

Toph felt a wave of relief then too. The only thing more frightening than having another baby around the house was having more than one. 

A single callused foot tapped the ground, sending out vibrations that gave her a look at her new apartment one more time. It was a significant step up from her previous place, with a formal living room and separate bedroom for Lin downstairs. It was further from the office, making her commute a bit longer but she didn’t mind since it put them closer to Air Temple Island. That was Lin’s favorite part and one of the main reasons it was their final choice. Toph tried to include her daughter on the decision, since she would be raised there, after all. Dually, it made for a nice distraction after the harrowing events a few months prior. 

Toph moved around the apartment at a pace much slower than usual. She often had to remind herself that it wouldn’t be for too much longer but loathed the way her heavy stomach made her movements awkward and delayed. As much as she hated missing work, she was grateful that she would be more mobile upon her return.

“Hope you like being the baby, kid, because you are the last one. And I mean it for real this time,” Toph said to her stomach.

Getting dressed took twice as long, especially since she couldn’t just bend her metal armor onto her body. It had been so long since she’d worn civilian clothes, she’d nearly forgotten how comfortable they were. She missed the familiar weight of her uniform but was happy to don a set of loose-fitting robes and baggy pants that had been gifted to her by none other than Suki herself. 

After the news was spread about her pregnancy, the gang insisted upon holding another baby shower even though Toph was almost entirely against it. She wanted as little attention on her as possible, just like she had wanted to keep the news to herself as long as possible but both desires were ultimately overruled. 

She convinced herself that she wasn’t ashamed about it anymore, that the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy were her business and hers alone. She still didn’t want Sokka to know, and she figured that was her right. After all, it was her who had carried the baby for nearly nine months now, and she would be the one to raise it. It was, admittedly, selfish, but she justified her decision with the consideration that the child would not be absent from him or his family. They just wouldn’t know that their niece or nephew was in actuality true blood relation. She might tell them someday, some day long down the road, but for now she felt it best if she kept things to herself. 

“Can we at least eat breakfast first?” Lin asked as her mother waited by the door.

“Come on we can eat after training, we’re burning daylight. Besides if you do well enough, and I might be convinced to take you to a restaurant,” Toph said.

“Do I get to pick?” Lin pleaded as they walked out of the apartment.

“Sure,” Toph said, “as long as its Watertribe grub.”

“Mom, we had that three times last week,” Lin whined.

“Did we really?” Toph thought aloud.

With her first pregnancy her cravings had been mostly confined to bread, but these last few weeks she had an insatiable itch for Watertribe food that simply couldn’t be scratched. Which was strange, because she’d never much cared for it before. 

“Fine. You can pick, but only if you win our sparring match today,” Toph said, stretching her arms behind her head.

“Aunt Katara said no more sparring until after the baby is born,” Lin said sternly.

“What she doesn’t know won’t kill her. Besides you haven’t been able to land a hit on me yet, kid,” Toph teased.

Lin crossed her arms, a deep frown curving her lips. 

The streets were lively at this time of day, but much to her gratitude no one seemed to recognize the Chief of Police in her everyday attire. It appeared that for once she was just a mother with her child walking down the street side. How refreshing.

Now that they had moved there was no longer a nearby dirt lot to practice in. The city, it seemed, was getting more and more crowded by the day, with all the apartments and other buildings all squished together in rows. 

They had to venture further to find a suitable spot with enough room and dirt for the both of them. The outskirts of Republic City Park wasn’t the most private spot, but it would have to do. 

“Alright, let’s see those reps I taught you last time,” Toph instructed.

Lin took a deep breath, adjusting her stance. Back straight and knees slightly bent, she stomped a single foot against the ground. The earth raised itself before her in a tower nearly as tall as she was. Her eyes flitted to her mother, but Toph’s face gave away nothing. 

The young girl loosened her shoulders, shaking her mother’s blank gaze from her head. Pulling her fists away from each other, the tower of earth split into two rectangles of equal length that floated through the air. 

A single bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, but Lin refused to let it break her concentration. Her elbows bent and straightened, with the chunks of rock lifting and receding in response. After the tenth time her small muscles shook from the effort and her breaths grew more rapid. 

“Five more,” Toph said.

Lin’s concentration broke at her mother’s interjection and her grasp on the earth faltered for a split second. The two rocks dropped, but just before they touched the ground she regained her control pulling them up with a grunt.

With every lift the rock felt heavier and her muscles sorer, but she did not stop. She knew that if she dropped them and messed up her rep her mother would find something far more tiring for her to build muscle. 

The last part of the rep was the most difficult. One arm still held a chunk of rock above her head while she lowered the other in front of her. She shifted her legs once more, punching the rock through the air. It crashed against a nearby tree, crumbling into dust and leaving a sizable gash in the trunk.

With both hands free it was easier to control the other rock, but she would need that control to pull off the final move. Lin lowered herself toward the ground and then, all at once, launched herself into the air. Her upper body spun quickly through the air and the world around her was a complete blur. The only thing that gave her any sort of spatial awareness was the earth below her and the rock in front of her. 

With all her effort, Lin sent a kick against the rectangle of rock. It flew and she heard it crack against the tree in front of her. A grin spread across her face but was almost instantly wiped clean as she realized that the ground was growing closer than she intended. 

She knew how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to land gracefully on her feet, to make it look as seamless as her mother did, but as her elbows and knees skidded against the dirt Lin was mostly concerned with saving herself from a broken nose. 

The world stopped spinning after a few seconds and her vision slowly came back into focus. It was her mother standing over her, peering down with a strange expression. Lin was used to the disappointed look on her mother’s face when she screwed up an earthbending move, but this was different. Her lips were bunched to the side, close to a frown but almost like she was fighting back a smirk. 

“You okay down there?” Toph asked.

“I’m fine,” Lin said, rubbing her nose against her forearm.

Toph didn’t offer her a hand to stand and didn’t dote on her. Katara had fussed at her that she should be more careful with Lin’s training, but the earthbender wasn’t moved.

“You can go easy on your kids if you like, but Lin isn’t a pansy,” Toph told her friend. “I’m not raising a snowflake. She’s going to be able to take care of herself.”

The conversation played in her head that day, as Lin laid there jarred. 

“Shake it off and try again. We’re going to stay out here until you can get it right,” Toph said.

Lin stood, rubbing the dirt off her pants. She was a little scraped up, but she knew her mom wouldn’t care so she did her best to pretend she couldn’t feel the sting. 

Toph bent herself a rock to lean against, crossing her arms and feeling Lin go through the movements they had practiced. Lin had natural talent, but she was hardheaded. She didn’t always listen to her mother’s critiques, and it showed.

“You’re getting sloppy. Focus on the earth not on me,” Toph urged.

She felt Lin release an exasperated sigh but carry on without objection. Admittedly, she had made a lot of progress in the last few months. Since the incident, Toph was insistent that they train every day. She never wanted anything like that to happen again. Never wanted to fear for her daughter’s life and so she would make sure that Lin would be able to defend herself. 

Toph held her breath, feeling for Lin as she made her final move. After Lin’s feet left the ground it was difficult to tell where she was, only the dust in the air giving her a fuzzy vison in her mind. The rock shot forward, bursting against its target and Lin finished the move, her feet landing solid against the ground below. 

A small smile flashed across her face.

“Not bad, kid.” 

It was the closest Lin would get to a compliment, so she took it while she could get it.

“A little more practice, and I think you’ll have that set mastered.”

Toph felt her daughter’s lips spread wide into a beaming grin. 

“But don’t get cocky. You’ve got a long way to go,” Toph said, sending a small pebble to whack Lin in the forehead.

“Hey!” Lin protested, rubbing her head. “No fair that was a cheap shot!”

“You would’ve been able to sense and redirect it if you were paying attention. You’ve got the strength down pat, but you’re missing out on the finer details,” Toph replied, moving closer to her daughter.

“Am not!” Lin argued.

“Oh really?” her mother smiled.

With a single stomp an arsenal of pebbles floated in the air behind her. Lin squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. 

Toph sent a handful of stones flying toward her. With a kick flying through the air, Lin swept them all away and they pelted the ground around her. She was immediately met with another wave of them, flying at her from all directions with only her mother’s open palms to guide them. Lin’s small body spun in a circle, not too dissimilar from those moves she had seen her uncle teach Tenzin. Several of the rocks burst in the air before they hit her, others she sent toward the ground beneath her. She had to concentrate hard to dodge all of them, but it worked. 

After a volley of rocks, Toph finally stopped. Lin was no longer facing her and instead had managed to turn all the way around. She had exhibited an impressive amount of control, implementing a move she would have to be sure to give Aang a punch in the arm for later. But she left herself open. A single pebble was still balancing in the air and with a swipe of her arm Toph bent it toward the back of Lin’s head. 

Her jaw clenched, preparing for the stone to make impact but much to her surprise it never did. Lin’s shoulders twisted to face her mother, the stone hovering between her eyes. 

“Hm. Guess you’re getting better than I thought. If you concentrated that hard on your earthbending all the time then maybe we’d be getting somewhere,” Toph said. 

She turned away, brushing the dirt off her shoulder. 

“I’m starved. Let’s go get something to eat,” she went on, already walking away.

A smirk played on Lin’s lips. She moved slowly at first and then punched a fist forward, sending the last pebble flying toward her mother’s back. It flew with all the strength that she’d hoped for, not enough to hurt her but just enough to get her back for earlier, and she thought she’d been successful. Until the rock stopped just a hair’s distance from her Toph’s spine.

“Now that is a cheap shot,” Toph said, not bothering to turn around.

She wafted her hand lazily through the air, sending the rock to thwack against Lin’s toe.

“Flameo!” Lin yelled, hopping as she cradled her sore foot.

“You’ve been spending way too much time with Aang,” Toph said.

“What did my husband do now?” A voice called out.

Toph could sense Katara’s frame approaching, with two of her three children bounding around her legs.

“He’s rubbing off on my kid. Tell him I’m perfectly capable of teaching her to curse myself, thank you very much,” Toph said.

“Yeah, well get in line. I’ve got a few choice words for him too,” Katara grumbled.

“Uh oh, trouble in paradise. What did Twinkletoes do to get you mad?” Toph asked.

“It’s been so long since we had a day to ourselves. I had it worked out to where Sokka was going to watch the kids and Aang and I were going to spend the evening together just the two of us. We even had a reservation at one of the nicest restaurants in the city, but some emergency came up and-“

“And the avatar had to go save the day?” Toph guessed.

“Yes,” Katara sighed. “And before you say it, yes I do realize I married the bridge between two worlds and the great maintainer of peace and harmony but sometimes I just wish he could take a day off.”

“I get it. Did you come out here to blow off some steam? Lin could use some more training,” Toph offered.

Lin ran around with Kya and Tenzin, giggling.

“I’m not fighting a seven-year-old, Toph. I told Sokka we’d meet him for an early lunch after his council meeting. We’re headed there now, if you want to join,” Katara replied.

“Council meeting? I didn’t know there was one scheduled today,” Toph crossed her arms.

“I, uh, think it was a sort of last minute thing-“

“Katara, don’t forget I can tell when you’re lying.”

“It was just something small that happened. I don’t really know much,” Katara said.

A frown pulled at Toph’s lips. The baby inside her stomach shifted, like it didn’t like this either.

“Lin,” she called, “Hustle up. We’re going to get something to eat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what d'ya think? I have a headcanon that Lin took a page out of Aang's book with some of her moves since in LOK it says the two were close. Plus the best benders use techniques from other elements :) Not sure how many more chapters I have in store for this fic but I'm thinking at least two more. Comment what you think and anything you'd like to see me include before I wrap things up!


	10. Drawing Ever Closer

The walk to the restaurant was a short one and despite Katara’s wishes, Toph refused to slow down. The heavily pregnant earthbender, it seemed, was on a mission. Lin had to jog to keep up, bumping elbows with Kya as she went. The older girl could’ve easily overtaken Lin, but she slowed down to make it a fair race.

“Where are we going?” she whispered to the young waterbender.

“The Tasty Tiger Seal. It’s Uncle Sokka’s favorite,” Kya answered.

Lin groaned, dreading it already. There was nothing wrong with watertribe grub, but over the recent weeks she’d grown sick of it. She much preferred the pan fried dumplings and roasted turtle duck of earth kingdom cuisine, but if her uncle Sokka was there she supposed she could stomach it. 

Through the sliding door Toph could sense Sokka’s frame sitting at a table in the back corner of the mostly empty restaurant and made her way over, waving a hand at the hostess who only backed away with words still hanging from her open lips. 

The children raced forward at the sight of their fun loving uncle so quickly Toph could feel the wind of them flying by against her legs.

“Tenzin! Kya! And is that the one and only Toph and her Tophspring?” Sokka wrapped his arms around the kids, squishing them all together in one massive hug.

“You know, that joke got old the first time you told it,” Toph frowned.

“C’mon you know you love it,” Sokka said, wagging his eyebrows at her as if she’d see it.

“The kids and I came across these two on our walk over and figured the more the merrier,” Katara approached.

“I believe you mean the three of them,” Sokka corrected.

Already the children pulled at him from all directions, each excitedly desiring his attention on one thing or another. 

“Whatever do you mean?” Toph deadpanned, gnawing on a piece of dried fish that had been placed on the table as an appetizer. 

“Hey! That’s my jerky!” Sokka protested.

In a single motion the earthbender swiped the basket away from him and to her side of the table just outside his reach. She shook it tauntingly at him, the dried meat crunching inside the basket.

“And you can have your jerky as soon as you tell me what this emergency board meeting was about,” Toph said.

She tried to sound unconcerned but firm. Katara never lied, so if she was so apprehensive to tell her that meant bad news.

She could feel the corner of Sokka’s lips bunch in a frown and then suddenly spread into a smirk.

“Hey Lin, have I ever told you about the time that your Mom helped us cross the Serpant’s Pass?” he asked.

“No,” Lin answered.

“Tell us! Tell us!” Kya insisted.

“Well you see it got very dangerous out there,” Sokka began.

“Katara, what is your brother doing?” Toph asked, turning to face toward the girl who sat beside her.

Katara only shrugged in response, quickly averting her glance to the cup of tea in front of her. 

“And then your mom fell in the water,” Sokka said as she tuned back in.

It hit her suddenly what he was doing. Heat crept up the back of her neck, and she threw a strip of jerky flying toward his face.

“Don’t forget the stories I have on you, Snoozles!” Toph warned.

He paused for a moment as if weighing his options then popped the piece of meat Toph threw at him into his mouth.

“The kids already know all my embarrassing tales but just wait until they hear about how the invincible Toph ki-“ Sokka said, but was cut off by Toph’s shouting.

“Okay, Okay I get it! Here’s your stupid jerky.”

Sokka let out a victorious laugh and set in on his previously hostage meat.

“Aww, but I wanted him to finish the story, Mom,” Lin whined.

“Yeah well get over it, kid,” Toph brushed her off, turning to face her friends once again. “Are you going to tell me or not, Snoozles? You know it’s really unwise to piss off a pregnant woman.”

She felt the watertribe siblings share a look and Katara shrug her shoulders. Sokka leaned in, an attempt to keep the conversation between them.

“Some new information just came up about the Ryu case. The council called in an emergency meeting to decide whether to up the jurisdiction to an international level,” he said.

Toph leaned back in her chair, feeling blindsided by the news. Her hand subconsciously moved to her stomach, feeling her baby shift around beneath her fingers. Residual anger worked its way inside her brain as she was reminded of the helplessness she felt that night. Of how close she was to give up her job and everything else just to wipe him off the face of the earth. 

“What new information? Nobody told me anything. This is my case,” Toph argued, the frustration in her mounting with every word.

“Oh good, the server is here,” Katara said, trying to calm the whole situation.

“Turtle seal stew,” Toph said curtly. “Lin will have the same.”

“Aw, but Mom,” Lin began to protest, but quieted as her moved waved her words away. 

Lin didn’t always understand her mother, but she could tell that something had her agitated and had learned after her seven years that arguing with her when she was in that kind of mood was a terrible idea.

The rest of the table placed their order, finishing with little Tenzin who ordered seaweed soup, adhering to his vegetarian air nomad ways.

“All Ryu’s charges are clearly within the bound of the Republic City Police’s jurisdiction. He was arrested before he even stepped foot onto a boat, much less entering international waters,” Toph continued, refusing to drop the conversation.

“He’s also up for international charges. He isn’t just wanted around here, he’s responsible for a scroll full of other crimes in Omashu and the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. Not to mention his criminal connections in the Fire Nation,” Sokka replied.

“So? I already talked with our international correspondents before I left and they seemed fine with me handling things here before I went on maternity leave,” Toph said.

A sigh released from deep in Sokka’s chest. His foot shook from under the table. He was holding something back and Toph was prepared to whittle him down until he told her what it was.

“You should just tell her, Sokka,” Katara pleaded.

“Ryu made a plea. His lawyer is flagging the case for assault against a defenseless suspect,” Sokka finally admitted.

Toph’s heart banged against her chest, anger flaring to a new height.

“Defenseless? He had my daughter. He threatened to-“

Katara cleared her throat loudly, bringing attention to Lin who looked wide eyed up at her mother.

Sokka flipped a coin through the air and smacked it on the table between the three kids.

“Tulik keeps some ice cream behind the counter. Why don’t you kids go pick out a flavor? It’s on me,” he said.

The children cheered rushing off to get their frozen treats. Lin was noticeably more hesitant to leave her clearly upset mother, but ultimately followed her cousins.

“I know what you mean, Toph. That’s exactly what I told the other council members,” Sokka said after they left.

“Then what’s the issue?” she said, crossing her arms.

“His lawyer is also arguing that there might be bias against him if the trial is held in the city. Said that you have too much influence over the council and is calling for an impartial trial outside the city,” Sokka added.

Toph’s fist landed solid against the table, startling the server who was busy placing their food in front of them.

“That’s such a load of bullshit! He just wants his trial moved so he has a chance to bribe the judge somewhere else,” Toph yelled.

“Toph, I was there that night. I watched Lin grow up. And you . . . well you’re one of my best friends. If it were up to me, Ryu would rot in that jail cell, but any way you slice it I can’t be impartial. I even had to sit out of the vote today,” Sokka reasoned.

Toph chewed at her lip, letting his words sink in. 

“What did the others decide?” Katara asked.

“They said the only way to ensure an unbiased trial is to hold it at another venue,” Sokka answered, with Toph almost growling at his words, “Someone suggested the Fire Nation, but there was also   
concern of Zuko’s influence so they settled on the Northern Water Tribe.”

“That’s not so bad. They’ve improved their legal system up there,” Katara tried.

“Yes, it is,” Toph said, “Ryu has known allies there. If he gets the chance, he might even stage an escape. The only way we make sure he pays for what he did is if we keep him here where my metalbenders can keep him under lock.”

“I’m sorry. I did everything I could. But don’t worry, I’m already writing with the Northern Water Chief. I told him to start putting together special holding for Ryu when he gets there, somewhere he can’t bend,” Sokka said.

“And I still have some contacts there. I’m sure Pakku must have some relatives we can trust to oversee the guarding,” Katara pitched in.

Toph knew they were right, but she still didn’t feel good about it.

“When is it?” Toph asked finally, twirling her spoon through her meal and letting the steam fill her nose.

The only thing that might make her feel better would be if she could see the arrangements herself and attend the trial to make sure she didn’t sense anything funny.

“Two weeks from today,” Sokka said, sounding defeated.

“Two weeks!” Toph exclaimed.

In two weeks she’d have a baby fresh out of the womb demanding her constant attention, not to mention she’d still be healing from giving birth and that’s if everything went as it should. 

Toph grit her teeth, rubbing her back as a dull pain worked its way against her spine.

“You need to calm down. We don’t need all this excitement inducing an early labor,” Katara chided.

“Katara’s right. But I know you won’t get a wink of rest unless you know Ryu isn’t a threat, so I have a plan. Suki and I will go to oversee the trial in your stead. She even offered to round up the other Kyoshi Warriors for more support. With them around there’ll be nothing to worry about,” Sokka assured.

Toph’s breath hiccupped in her chest. She should feel relieved that her very competent friends would step in, but something else bothered her. Something she couldn’t bring herself to move past.

“So, that means you won’t be here when the baby is born,” Toph said, her voice low but as level as she could muster.

“There’s a good chance I’ll miss it, yeah,” Sokka said, sorry evident in his tone. “But Suki and I will be back as soon as we can. And we’ll write back to the city with updates every day.”

Toph stirred her stew once more, taking a sip of the lukewarm meal solemnly.

“Hey, I know you want all your friends here, especially since . . . well,” Katara didn’t have to say it for Toph to know that she meant since the father wouldn’t be present.

She still believed the Dad wasn’t around, that he’d bailed once he found out she was with child, but little did she know he was sitting at that very table.

“But Aang and I will be there,” Katara finished.

“Me too!” Lin added suddenly, revealing that she’d been listening in since returning to the table a few moments before.

A smile spread across Toph’s face at that, and she ran her fingers across her daughter’s head, smoothing her hair beneath her palm.

“I’m not happy about missing out on my niece or nephew’s big day either but trust me I’ll head straight to your apartment as soon as we get back,” Sokka said.

Son or daughter, Toph corrected internally but, of course, didn’t say aloud. 

“It’s gonna be a girl!” Lin announced confidently.

“She’s convinced she’s getting a sister,” Toph explained.

“Well good luck then, Lin. Sisters are a real piece of work,” Sokka teased before raising his cup of tea to his mouth.

Flinging her fingers through the air, Katara froze the liquid to his lip. He struggled, pulling his lip away from his face and whimpering.

“Mom, you said no waterbending at the table,” Kya said.

“Yeah, but this was a special circumstance. Your Uncle deserved it,” Katara replied.

A laugh escaped Toph’s lips, quickly joined by a chorus of laughter from the kids and Katara herself.

The waterbender let him suffer a few more minutes before telling Kya to bail him out of his situation. The girl could barely unfreeze him for a round of contagious laughter.

“C’mon Tenzin, you’re supposed to have my back. Us guys have to stick together,” Sokka said, rubbing warmth back into his lip.

“Airbenders don’t take sides,” Tenzin said simply.

He was far to serious for a kid his age, even surpassing Lin. Toph wondered how he could simultaneously be the spitting image of his father who was so carefree when they met as children and so uptight. He definitely got that from Sugar Queen. 

Her mind wandered to the child in her stomach. Would it be tough and independent like her, or goofy and brave like it’s father? She hoped it would be somewhere in between, a mixture featuring all her favorite qualities of Sokka and the good parts of herself. Whatever those were. She supposed it depended on who you asked.

The group finished their meal on a brighter note, with the earlier tension dissolving at a steady pace.

When the bill came, Toph snatched the paper up before the server could even sit it down good.

“This one’s on me,” she said, bracing herself as she got ready to stand. 

“You sure? You’re going to be on maternity leave for quite some time,” Katara said.

“Trust me, Sweetness, I know,” Toph grunted, raising as smoothly as she could manage.

She made her way to the counter with a hand full of coins but paused halfway, a sudden pain needling her side. She sucked in a quick breath, trying and failing not to garner attention. 

“Ma’am, are you okay?” A restaurant worker approached.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Toph insisted, waving away the help.

After a few short seconds the pain subsided, and she felt okay to move again. She took several careful steps toward the counter, afraid that any sudden movements might set off another one of whatever that was.

She stood in wait of her change, bouncing her bare heel against the floor. Across the restaurant she felt the others standing up from the table and turned to meet them at the door when another wave of pain hit her. 

Toph stooped over, clutching her abdomen with eyes squeezed shut.

“Toph!” Katara yelled, sprinting to her friend’s side. “What’s wrong?”

“I- I’m not sure,” Toph struggled to get the words out as the pain refused to subside. 

“You need to lie down,” Sokka urged.

Just when she thought the searing pain had lessened another stabbing sensation followed. It took all of her strength not to yell out.

“Something’s wrong,” Katara said, moving to her side and lifting Toph’s arm over her neck. “Sokka help me out.”

Sokka did as told, redistributing Toph’s weight onto his shoulders. “Kids, keep up,” he ordered.

With her feet barely touching the ground, Toph’s vision was completely black. Her mind was filled with a buzzing sound that made it difficult if not impossible to tell what was going on. She’d only blacked out once before and that was many years ago, after Sokka dared her to chug an entire bottle of cactus juice. She woke up the next morning with no idea what had happened the night before and the worst stomachache she’d thought she’d ever experience. She swore off cactus juice from then on, but now she was perfectly sober and struggled to hold on to consciousness.

xxx

The only thing Toph felt when she woke was the soft folds of fabric beneath her and a pillow rustling against her ear.

Had she been dreaming? 

No. This was not her apartment. Her seismic sense was rather muted from her cushioned spot, but she could tell she was not lying in her room.

Her entire body buzzed awake in a sluggish manner she could only compare to the sensation she got when Lin used to fall asleep on her arm. Her head was foggy, but much to her gratitude she felt no pain. 

Panic suddenly struck her as her hands felt her stomach. Heartbeats came fast until she ran her fingers over the outline of her still swollen stomach, the baby moving just below the surface of her skin.  
A relieved sigh left her chest. She was okay. The baby was okay. But where was she?

Her arm muscles shook as she lifted herself off the mattress. It was the weakest she’d ever felt, like all her strength had been siphoned from her the way chi blockers rendered her limbs useless. 

She heard a door slide open and teacups clink against wood.

“You’re awake,” Katara said, moving quickly inside the room.

“Yeah,” Toph managed, still struggling to sit up.

“No,” Katara said, pressing on Toph’s shoulders after sitting her tray down. “Don’t try to get up.”

“What the hell happened?” Toph asked, her voice reflecting the grogginess she felt.

“You passed out on us at the restaurant. Almost went into labor,” Katara explained, pulling the covers over her chest again.

“That doesn’t make sense. I’m not due for another two weeks. I wasn’t even doing anything,” Toph argued, rubbing her face in her hands.

“It happens sometimes, especially if you’ve been in a high stress environment. You had a relatively easy pregnancy the first go around, but this one is taking a more significant toll on your body. I should’ve chewed you out when I caught you training Lin at the park,” Katara said.

Toph gave a weak laugh, “Would you feel better if I told you I wouldn’t have listened anyway?”

Katara sighed in the motherly way Toph had grown to love. It wasn’t the same kind of disappointed sigh her own parents gave when she was a child. Hers were full of genuine concern, the kind that was only paired with real care.

“How long was I out?” Toph asked.

“A couple of hours. Sokka and I brought you and Lin back to the island. I put you in the healing bath at first just to be safe, then moved you to a guest room. Your clothes were soaked so I hope you don’t mind,” Katara explained, gesturing toward the sleeves Toph pulled on.

“I had some of my old maternity robes in the closet. I actually think this is the first time I’ve seen you in blue,” Katara added.

“Feels like every other color,” Toph joked.

She was rewarded with a small laugh from her friend, but it was cut short as another set of footsteps approached. There was a small knock and Katara let the visitor in.

“How is she?” Sokka asked.

“She is wishing she’d just stayed in bed this morning,” Toph answered.

“You really had us worried back there. I mean, I know you wanted me to be there for the birth and all but you didn’t have to give us a preview,” Sokka quipped. 

“Oh, shut it, Meathead. The sooner this baby gets out of me the better,” Toph said, pulling the blanket over her shoulder. 

“Things definitely could’ve gotten ugly. You might be ready to have this baby, but your body isn’t. The baby still has some growing to do,” Katara replied.

“I’ve been baking this bun for almost nine months. She’s ready to escape,” Toph said, almost laughing.

“You said she,” Sokka pointed out. 

“I didn’t even realize. I guess Lin’s been saying it so much it stuck,” Toph though aloud. 

She wasn’t opposed to the idea of having two daughters. Something about the idea of two sisters made her smile. Lin was a good kid, for the most part and definitely deserving of happiness. And if having a little sister would make her happy, then Toph hoped that was what she got. 

“Mom once told me that she knew she was going to have a girl when she was pregnant with me. There’s no way to test that, of course, especially back then but she said she could feel it in her bones. And she was right,” Katara said, her fingers raising to her necklace.

“I think all my bones are telling me right now is that I’m ready to go home and sleep this off,” Toph said, her head sinking back into her pillow.

“Actually, that’s probably not the best idea,” Sokka replied.

“Your body collapsed because you aren’t getting enough rest. I don’t want to risk you making the trek back and having another episode. It’s dangerous. If you were to go into labor right now, the baby’s health would be far too fragile,” Katara instrusted.

“So, what am I supposed to do, just lay here for the next two weeks?” Toph chuckled.

“Exactly,” Sokka said.

The smile dropped from Toph’s face and her fingers tightened in the covers.

“I want to keep an eye on you. If something like this happens again, I need to be there as quickly as possible. The best way to do that is to keep you here,” Katara said matter of factly.

“On bedrest? For the next two weeks? Here?” Toph stammered, trying to process everything at once.

“Yes, yes, and yes,” Sokka replied, amusement in his voice.

“Katara, I can’t just stay here for two weeks straight. You just said that you and Aang never get any alone time. And what am I supposed to do lying in a bed for two weeks? I’m blind. I can’t even stare at the ceiling to pass the time,” Toph said.

“We have the whole rest of our lives to find alone time. This is more important,” Katara argued. “And don’t worry the days will fly by and the baby will be here before you can blink.”

Toph sorted through her thoughts, attempting to put together some argument that might convince Katara to let her go. It was only two weeks, but she wanted to spend them in her own home. Then again, she knew she’d been pushing things this entire time. As much as she hated to admit it, Katara was the expert here. 

“Fine,” Toph said finally.

“Wow, I really expected her to put up more of a fight,” Sokka admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

If there were a rock in this room Toph would’ve thrown it at him, but there wasn’t so she just rolled to her side, grumbling beneath her breath.

The door slid open once more and a pair of small footsteps eased their way into the room hesitantly.

“Is everything okay?” Lin asked.

Toph could hear the worry in her voice and it made something tighten in her chest.

“Your sister tried to make an early appearance, but everything is okay now,” Toph said.

“So, she’s not here yet?”

“Unfortunately, not,” Toph grunted.

“Lin, how about you and me head back to your house and pick up some clothes for you and your mom?” Sokka said.

“We’re staying here?” Lin questioned. 

Toph could tell by the way her heartbeat sped up that the idea excited her, and a small smile spread across her lips.

“Just for a little while,” Katara explained. “I need to make sure that your sister gets here when she’s supposed to and not before she’s ready. In the meantime, you and your mom are going to stay here.   
Your Uncle Aang and I will take you to school during the week and you and the kids can play on the weekends.”

Lin was practically bouncing up and down.

“Yes!” Kya proclaimed from the hallway.

“Go put on your shoes, and we’ll go,” Sokka chuckled.

Toph felt Lin look down at her bare feet and back up at him. This time it was Toph’s turn to laugh.

“She’s my kid, remember? She didn’t bring any,” Toph grinned.

“Right,” Sokka said, ushering the children from the room bare feet and all.

Katara left shortly after, making sure Toph was comfortable and insisting she rest. For all the tiredness that plagued her, she couldn’t fall asleep. Her nerves still buzzed on edge from the anxiety she felt when she first woke up. 

“I didn’t carry your butt for all this time just for you to give up on me now, kid,” Toph said to her stomach. 

She sat like that in silence for a few more moments, trying to recall what it was like to hold Lin when she was an infant. So much time had passed since then, but she could still feel that familiar fragile weight. The way the swaddled bundle would shift and coo, how strange it felt at first to know she created this thing laying in her arms but how quickly she became attached.

Soon she’d have another child wriggling around in her arms. If Lin was right, another daughter. Over their years traveling the world, the gang had spoken once or twice about children. Katara and Aang, of course, felt strongly about it, already knowing they wanted not only one but more. Aang had the future of the Air Nation to think about and Katara had always loved children. Sokka was more on the iffy side. He liked kids alright, but only when they weren’t crying or soiling themselves. You know, the less pleasant side of things.

And she, well, she was adamant that having children wasn’t in her plans. Settling down, marriage. Sounded like a nightmare. And she supposed it still did. But things don’t always work out how you plan them and here she was with her own little unconventional family. One daughter running around barefoot with the unknowing father of her other unnamed child floating around in her stomach.

“We really need to work on that,” Toph said aloud. 

With all the chaos of the last few months she barely had enough time to think anything for more than a few seconds, even what she would name her baby.

She figured she should come up with a girl name first, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a boy one picked out as well. After all, there was a 50% chance either way. Lin would be disappointed if it wasn’t a girl, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. She’d just have to get over it, but, admittedly, she’d grown rather fond of the idea as the day went on. 

“Maybe starting with an ‘S’ as a tribute to your dad,” she said. 

Could be a little too on the nose but depending on how much the infant’s looks favored his, it might not matter. That thought had kept her up a few nights months prior, but she released it after realizing that there was nothing she could do about it. If push came to shove, she could make up details about the baby’s make belief father to connect the dots, but the less lying she had to do the better.

“I could incorporate part of Lin’s name too. I’m sure your sister would get a kick out of that.”

She spent the next few minutes putting together syllables but none of them felt right. 

“Somin? Nah. That doesn’t work. Sharin?” she frowned. “Man, I really suck at this. Let’s start with a nickname first. Something short and catchy.”

Then it struck her. 

“Su. Su’s not bad, right? Now we just need to elaborate. What names begin with Su?” she thought a moment, letting ideas flow into her groggy brain. “Suyin.”

It had everything she wanted. The ‘S’ for Sokka, a bit of Lin’s name, and potential for a nickname. It was perfect.

“And if you’re a boy. Sho Tin. We’ll call you Sho for short,” Toph thought aloud happily.

It felt like a weight lifted off her shoulders, like some invisible responsibility had been lessened.

It made it easier to focus on sleep. She had just begun to let herself fall into the darkness behind her eyes when a knock came, jarring her out of slumber.

“Come in,” she said, shifting to face whoever was behind the door.

“Katara told me you were in here. She said you were resting, but I had a feeling you were still awake. I’ve never known you to be idle for too long,” the avatar entered.

“I didn’t know you were back. Sweetness forgive you yet?” Toph asked.

“Ah she’ll come around. She always does,” Aang laughed.

“What was it this time? Crazed angry spirit? Ancient tribal feud?” 

“No, actually. It was something much more exciting. Some of the air acolytes wrote and another air bison herd has been found. Looks like they’ve been hiding out in caves high in the mountains all this time,” Aang said. 

Toph could hear the emotion in his voice, a mixture of relief and excitement.

“That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you and for Appa,” Toph said.

“It looks like Tenzin will get his own bison after all. I haven’t told him yet. I haven’t told anyone but Katara and you. I want to set up some sort of a sanctuary. The herd needs to be protected for future generations,” he sounded so serious. But underneath he was still the giddy kid she’d crossed the world with.

A smile cut across her face full of nostalgia.

“Speaking of future generations,” Aang said, moving closer to the bed. “How have you been feeling? I know it’s been tough.”

“If this pregnancy is any indication, this kid is going to be a handful. Lin’s convinced it’s going to be a girl. And you know once that kid gets something in her mind there’s no arguing.”

He chuckled. “Yeah you’re right. She’s strong-willed and doesn’t give in easy. A true Beifong.”

“Well, this little one was almost ready to throw in the towel earlier. It’s almost funny. I chased down Ryu with no problems and even kept training Lin over the months, but the baby decides to exit the party when I’m in the middle of eating lunch on my day off,” Toph said.

“Sounds like it got bored. I hate to say it, but you may have an even bigger spitfire on your hands this go around,” Aang replied.

Toph only smiled. The last thing she needed was two hotheaded children running amok, but she had to admit there was something comforting about the thought.

“Sorry for crashing here. I tried to tell Katara I could go back to my place, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I know taking care of Lin can be a lot and the last thing the avatar needs is some pregnant lady taking up space at his house.”

“Toph you’re not just some pregnant lady. You and Lin are family. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need. The kids are probably overjoyed that Lin is staying for a while, and I know Katara enjoys the company. I think having you guys around reminds her of the good old days,” Aang said. “And the whole avatar gig keeps me pretty busy.”

“About that, Twinkle Toes. You have some making up to do. You can use me as an excuse for now, but once this baby pops outta hear, and I go back home, you’ve got some serious oogie time to make up for. She hides it pretty well, but I know every once in a while Katara needs a break. And she needs her husband. She needs you, Aang.”

She heard Aang shift his weight, the floorboards creaking ever so slightly. As his nickname implied, Aang almost never made a sound when moving, but sometimes when he got extra serious or tired he wasn’t so weightless. No one else may have caught that subtly but Toph did and that was how she knew she’d struck a chord. 

“I know. It’s just hard, having to choose all the time between my duty and being there for my family. I promise I’ll try to make up for it. For now, though, you need to get some rest,” the Avatar said, making his way to the door with quiet footsteps. 

“Yeah, Yeah. I got it,” Toph said, waving a hand lazily through the air.

“And, Toph,” Aang said before sliding the door shut, “Thanks for looking out for her.”

She wanted to tell him that it was Katara who’d been on the look out for her recently. That she owed Katara for her child’s safety and her own, to some extent. That it was her who should be thanking them. But she didn’t. After all, her love language aired more on the side of nicknames and quick punches to the arm.


	11. And Then There Were Three

Toph prided herself on being able to sleep just about anywhere. During their travels many years before that talent became necessity. On the ground, by a cliffside, curled up on the back of a flying bison, on top of a pile of rocks, you know, the usual. But after sitting in bed all day with nothing to look at and barely anything to do, Toph simply couldn’t fall asleep.

Katara had come to conduct her nightly check in hours ago, but still Toph laid awake, staring with her cloudy eyes at the ceiling she knew to hang above.

“Could two weeks pass by any slower?” she whispered to herself.

It had been nine days and there was still no progress. Whatever her baby was latched onto in there, it wasn’t ready to let go just yet.

The days passed by at a snail’s pace. Katara tried to keep her company as much as she could but had to frequently leave the room to check in on the kids. Lin poked her head in the door every once in a while like she was expecting a new sibling to just appear out of thin air. Toph had never really explained to her daughter where exactly babies came from or how they entered into the world, but Lin never asked. She’d already made up her mind that when Lin did, she would tell it to her straight. Toph knew that in many ways she wasn’t the most stand up mother, but if nothing else she swore she would always be honest with her kids.

She shifted uncomfortably on the mattress and finally gave up. It took several attempts to sit upright, but eventually she got it. Her hair was down, hanging between her shoulder blades as she pulled her legs over the side of the bed.

“Alright, kid, I get it. We have to pee,” she thought aloud. 

Katara didn’t allow her to do much moving around. Her short treks to the bathroom down the hall were about it, but in all honesty, it was almost all she could manage. In the last few days her legs and feet felt swollen and sore. It wasn’t the same kind of pain she felt when Zuko burnt her feet all those years ago, but painful in its own right. 

Still, all the sitting around made her restless and even if her body protested, Toph didn’t want to go back to staring into the dark. 

After a successful trip to the restrooms, she wandered down the other end of the corridor before pulling back a set of sliding doors. The air had the edge of a chill but still held some of the warmth of the day. Toph tightened the folds of her robe around her and walked into the small courtyard.

A smile spread across her lips as her toes wiggled into the earth. Katara would lay into her if she caught her, but Toph didn’t care. She needed some fresh air and it wouldn’t matter if the baby was born healthy or not if Toph lost her mind before it even showed up from sitting in the same spot day in and day out. 

Waves lapped lazily against the shore of the island a few stretches away, and the scent of salt carried its way into her nose.

“This is much better, right?” she said to her stomach.

The earthbender walked a little further away from the house, making her way to a bench that sat under a large tree. The hard surface was nowhere near as cushy as her bed inside, but it was different and that made it better.

“I don’t know about you, but I thought we could use a change in scenery,” she said, feeling the baby move beneath her fingertips.

She hadn’t suffered anymore episodes since that day at lunch. Katara said it was the stress that caused it, but Toph still struggled to release the tension that came with missing Ryu’s trial.

Sokka was already at the Northern Water Tribe with Suki where Ryu was being held. In a letter, he sent word that the Kyoshi Warriors would arrive tomorrow for the first part of the hearing. That provided her some relief, but only a little.

Ryu almost cost her everything, and she couldn’t forget it or move on until she knew he was no longer a threat. 

Toph was already thinking of the ways she could keep tabs on his incarceration through her international connections when she was pulled out of her thoughts by a pair of footsteps approaching.

“Mom. What are you doing out here?” Lin asked.

“I should be the one asking you. It’s late. You should be in bed, you have school tomorrow,” Toph chided.

Lin perched herself on the bench beside her mother, ignoring the comment and its implications.

“I felt you get up,” she explained.

Lin was sharing Kya’s room in part of the main house where Aang and Katara stayed. The guest house wasn’t far, but a decent enough distance to impress Toph. Seismic sense hadn’t come as easily to Lin as it did to her. Improvement was steady but still had much progress to make. 

“You’re getting better. It used to take you a lot more concentration to feel vibrations that far,” Toph remarked.

She felt her daughter shiver and pulled her closer. Lin leaned into her mother, resting her head on her side.

“When’s the baby going to get here?” Lin asked.

“I told you already we’ve only got a little while longer. I think the more you ask that question the more it refuses to come out,” Toph laughed softly.

Toph felt her daughter’s small fingers splay across her stomach. She almost jumped under the sudden touch. Unlike most other pregnant women, no one had ever felt on her belly without her permission. She thanked her intimidating aura and reputation for that. Other than herself, Katara was one of the only ones who had ever felt the baby at all. And now Lin, hellbent on pretending her sibling didn’t exist until a few days ago, had her palm pressed against Toph’s abdomen.

Gently, Toph laid her fingers overtop of her daughter’s, pressing them firmly against her robes.

“Close your eyes,” she said. “Just like when you feel the Earth.”

Lin listened, squeezing her eyelids shut and concentrating.

She felt her mother’s heartbeat, strong and familiar vibrating and then, something smaller and faster echoing against her bones.

“I can feel it!” Lin said excitedly.

“Shh! We don’t want to wake everyone else up,” Toph whispered, though she couldn’t deny the smile that crossed her face.

Lin let out a tired giggle, scooting closer to her mother. Toph draped her arm over Lin’s shoulder and gave her a light squeeze.

“I thought you said she moved around,” Lin said.

“She does sometimes but right now she must be asleep,” Toph explained, hearing Lin yawn. “Just like you should be.”

“But I can’t fall back asleep, not now,” Lin argued.

“Yeah, well you better get to trying. If I get word that you fall asleep in class tomorrow, I’m not taking up for you. You’ll just have to sit in Principal Puffy Pants’ office by yourself.”

Lin shift a little, but still didn’t give in.

“Tell me a story?” she asked.

A frown pulled at Toph’s lips. Lin was an excellent negotiator but Toph could tell she was stalling. Still, it wasn’t often that they had this kind of time together, and Lin was growing up fast. Toph supposed letting her act like a kid just for one night wouldn’t hurt.

“You know I’m no good at telling stories. When you were a baby you would cry before I even got finished,” Toph said.

“Please. Tell me one story and then I’ll go back to sleep,” Lin insisted.

“I don’t even know why you want me to tell one. Katara is better at coming up with stuff like this and you’ve already heard everything from when I was a kid. What’s left to tell?”

Toph could almost feel Lin’s mind working. 

“What’s your favorite memory?” she asked finally.

_Shit_ , Toph thought, _couldn’t she have picked something lighter_?

“Well, it’s definitely not the day we got lost in the desert,” Toph started.

Any other mom would’ve said something sappy like, the day you were born. But that just wasn’t Toph. Plus, she’d be a liar. Having Lin hurt like hell, and it was something she was dreading having to do again, but she wouldn’t say that either.

“The days I got to kick Fire Nation butt weren’t bad,” she went on, “Those are probably right up there with my Earth Rumble days. Did I mention your mom is the greatest earthbender in the world?”

“Mom,” Lin groaned.

“What? I’m trying here. Let’s see. Favorite memory,” Toph pondered a moment. “I guess I don’t really have a favorite. There are definitely some least favorites I can pick off the top of my head, but I’d like to think my life’s gone well enough that I’m allowed to have more than just one good one. There’s the day after we finally put down the crazy Fire Lord and stopped the war. That felt pretty good, like having a weight lifted off my shoulders. Then there’s the day Katara and I hung out at that sauna place in Ba Sing Se. Didn’t really think I’d like that one, but it wasn’t half bad.”

Toph could feel Lin’s heartbeat start to slow into a gentle rhythm. She was still awake but more near sleep now than before.

“We also had some pretty fun times at the beach. You and the others will have to go when you get a little older. I might even teach you a little sandbending one day,” Toph continued. 

It felt like time had reversed, and she was sitting down in her old apartment alone talking to Lin inside her stomach. It occurred to her that the words she was saying applied just as much to her second child now. 

“I got to be executive partner of a really great company and started up my own Metalbending Academy which was pretty cool, I guess. And then Aang asked me to come here to Republic City. I don’t know why I said yes, but then again Twinkletoes has always been kind of whiny, so it was probably just to get him to shut up,” Toph said.

A quiet giggle exited Lin’s mouth.

“They wanted me to be Chief of Police and, in a lapse of judgment, I said yes. I’ve been dealing with that headache for a couple of years now. It’s pretty fun to put the baddies away sometimes, but I could do without the paperwork. And then of course, I had you which is, you know, okay,” she said giving Lin a nudge. “And now we’re here. So, how was that for a story?”

“Not bad,” Lin said.

“Good because now you are going back to bed to get some more sleep before school starts, and I am going back to the bathroom because your sister is using my bladder as her personal punching bag,” Toph said, lifting herself slowly from the bench.

This time, Lin didn’t argue though her feet did drag against the dirt as she made her way back toward the bedroom.

“Goodnight, Mom,” Lin called from the doorway in a forced whisper.

A smile tugged at Toph’s lips from across the courtyard.

“Goodnight,” she replied.

xxx

First grade wasn’t hard. After all, Lin had picked up on everything quite quickly. Already, she was reading on a level much higher than her peers and her writing skills were coming along nicely, or so her teacher had told her. Unlike her classmates, she didn’t have parents to help her with that stuff at home but that made her all the more eager to work harder. It wasn’t easy all the time, but the work was nothing Lin couldn’t handle. She was a Beifong. Beifong’s could handle anything.

The other children, however, were a different story.

There were days when they didn’t seem so bad, when she could play along with them no problem, and others when she wondered why she was stuck in a room with a bunch of other kids doing far more whining than her mother would ever allow. 

That particular afternoon aired on the latter, and Lin was dying for the clock to move faster. Class was almost over and soon her Aunt Katara would be stopping by to pick her up. It was that time when the lessons were finished, but the teachers wouldn’t let them play. Instead, they were stuck at their desks and even Lin’s seven year old mind could tell her teacher was just trying to keep her busy. Her light green eyes searched the pile of crayons in the center of the round table. The pudgy fingers of her classmates rummaged through them as they happily filled their time with coloring. Lin frowned. She never much liked coloring.

“Lin, why don’t you join in with your classmates and draw something. I know your mother is expecting another child soon. Why not make her a card? She’d like that,” Lin’s teacher tried.

Lin could barely contain an eye roll. She imagined running up to her mother, paper rattling in hand and shaking it in front of her.

“It sounds like paper,” her mother would say. 

It wasn’t the first time other people forgot who her mother was. Lin was young, but she knew that Toph was one of the most powerful benders in the world and there wasn’t a day that went by without her mother reminding her of it. She was so powerful that even Lin forgot sometimes that her mother couldn’t see. 

Still, Lin didn’t argue and began scribbling a bright blue crayon against the paper in front of her. _Maybe I’ll give it to Aunt Katara_ , she thought.

She had barely finished the ocean and hadn’t even had time to finish the smile on the sun in the top corner of her paper before her teacher summoned her to the front of the room.

“Lin, dear, please come here,” she beckoned.

Lin’s back straightened. The teacher hardly ever called anyone to the front. She herself had only been summoned there twice before and both times were for punishment. Once for a word she’d tried out after hearing her mother use it for most her life (she still wasn’t sure what it meant or why she could only use it at home) and the other after she’d smacked a boy in the back of the head for skipping in front of her in line (she was assured by her mom that he deserved it, but her teacher begged to differ). 

She wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong, but she was prepared to defend herself.

“I was coloring,” she began before her teacher could get a word in, “One boy was hogging the blue at first but I needed blue to color the ocean because my drawing is for my Aunt because my mom can’t see.”

Her teacher motioned for her to stop with a single outstretched palm.

“It’s okay, Lin. You’re not in trouble so you don’t need to explain yourself. I need you to go and pack your things in your backpack. There’s someone here to get you,” her teacher said.

Quietly, Lin nodded and did as instructed. It wasn’t time for her to leave yet. All her other classmates were still coloring and chatting with each other when she exited the room and made her way to the front of the school. Her mom never picked her up early and for all she tried, Lin couldn’t remember Katara mentioning any reason for her to leave school before the day was over.

But, rounding the corner and approaching the front desk, Lin realized that it wasn’t her Aunt Katara there to pick her up at all.

It was Uncle Twinkletoes scratching his beard nervously and signing an autograph for the clearly fangirling secretary. 

“Lin, there you are,” the Avatar said, turning to face her.

“What are you doing here?” Lin asked bluntly.

“I’m here to get you. Now hurry, we have a surprise for you,” he said, pushing her out the doors.

Through the palm on her back, Lin could feel his giddy heartbeat thundering in his chest. Out the front doors, a fuzzy mountain of tanned fur growled at her.

“Appa!” Lin greeted, giving him a scratch in the place her mother had shown her under his chin.

From behind her, Aang rubbed the back of his neck and flashed a lopsided grin.

“Yeah, I don’t usually fly him into the city, but this was kind of important, so we made an emergency landing,” he explained.

“Hurry up!” someone called from atop Appa’s back.

The young boy’s bald head gleamed from the sunlight just so that Lin had to shield her eyes to see him. Tenzin waved his arms for her to climb aboard. It wasn’t often you saw him so animated. Lin wondered what had him so excited.

“What’s going on?” Lin demanded as Aang lifted her effortlessly onto Appa’s back.

“The baby is here!” Tenzin said.

Lin knew she should be as excited as they were, even more so really, but she had to force a smile onto her face. 

The flight to Air Temple Island was a short one and Lin found herself wishing it were longer. Really, she didn’t know how she felt. Glad that everything was alright, sure, but having a sibling to share what small amount of attention she already got? It wasn’t exactly something she’d been looking forward to.

A chilled wind blew past her cheek, and she wiped away a single tear. Tenzin seemed to notice and moved a little closer until his elbow pressed against hers as they swayed in the saddle.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

Lin didn’t look him in the eye. Tough girls don’t cry and when they do, they certainly don’t let anyone see them doing it.

“I’m fine,” Lin insisted.

Tenzin shifted a little in an attempt to give Lin some space, but it only made her feel worse. He was only trying to help, and she knew it.

“Do you think I’ll be a good big sister?” she asked suddenly.

Tenzin’s eyes looked toward the sky, and he scratched his chin the way he’d seen his father do whenever he was thinking about something.

“Well, I don’t see why not. Sister’s can be kind of mean sometimes,” he started.

Lin gave him a firm punch in the arm.

“Hey!” Tenzin protested, “I wasn’t finished. I was going to say that even though sisters can be scary some days they’re also really nice and strong. I think you’ll be great at it.”

A smile, fleeting but nevertheless present, crossed Lin’s lips, and she bumped her shoulder into his.

“Thanks, I guess,” she said nonchalantly.

From his perch on Appa’s head, Aang grinned. Some things never changed.

The giant air bison landed with practiced grace in the courtyard. Tenzin hopped from his back and offered Lin a hand. She pushed it aside and slid down Appa’s tail, running full speed toward the sliding doors in front of her. 

“You two head inside, I’ll put Appa away and meet you there,” Aang said.

Lin was barely listening. The girl could hardly hear anything over the sound of her heartbeat pounding against her eardrums, the sound of her feet stomping hard against the wooden floors. But when they reached the outside of her mother’s room, she came to a sudden halt.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her eyes were glued to the door in front of them.

“What are you waiting for?” Tenzin asked, nearly bumping into the back of her.

Her breath froze in her lungs. She wasn’t sure. It had been months since her mother told her she was going to have a younger sibling, but it never felt like anything immediate. Even when her mom’s belly started getting bigger, it still felt like she could ignore it and pretend things were never going to change. Opening that door felt like accepting it. Maybe if she could stay outside it would disappear and life would stay the way it had been. With her and her mom, just the two of them. 

Lin was surprised to feel a set of warm fingers wrap around her own. Tenzin nodded his head in silent reassurance and knocked lightly on the door before she could say anything.

“Come in,” she heard Katara say from the other side of the door.

Tenzin led her inside, not letting go of her hand even then. Any other moment, Lin would have been embarrassed, but deep down, she was grateful that he was anchoring her.

The room felt muggy and was much messier than it had been the night before. It took a few seconds for Lin to gain the courage to unlock her gaze from the floorboards and search the bed for her mother.

She’d only seen her mother look so disheveled once before, on the night she’d been kidnapped. Normally, her mom always looked so strong and sharp, like the metal she had bent around her in armor, but now, Lin could tell she was tired. The creases beneath her eyes were dark, the same kind of shadow pooling under them that Lin had seen on nights when her mom got home from work extra late. A sheen of sweat caused her hair to stick to her forehead and there in her arms was something wrapped in a pale yellow blanket. 

Toph’s cloudy eyes looked deftly in Lin’s direction, and the girl felt something tiny sending vibrations through the floor below.

“Lin,” Toph said, her words breathy and full of exhaustion, “why don’t you come over here and meet your little sister?”

Lin turned to look at Tenzin whose hand was still wrapped gently around her own, and he smiled at her before letting go. She took a few hesitant steps toward the side of the bed and peered over the edge of the mattress. 

The swaddled mass held against Toph’s chest moved slightly. Slowly, Lin reached up, pulling the edge of the yellow blanket back until she saw it. It was a baby with warm toned skin and a single dark curl laying across her forehead. Its eyes were squeezed tightly shut with its round cheeks wrinkling at the sides of them. A single tiny hand poked through the folds of the thin blanket wrapped around it forming the smallest fist Lin had ever seen.

“Do you want to hold her?” Toph asked.

Lin’s eyes widened. 

“It’s okay,” Katara reassured from the side of the room. “You won’t hurt her.”

Without a word, Lin pulled herself onto the side of the edge of the bed beside her mother. Toph lifted the infant slowly and laid it in Lin’s lap, securing Lin’s hands around the small body before letting go.

“What’s her name?” Lin asked in a whisper, trying hard not to wake her up.

“Suyin,” Toph answered. “I included part of your name that way you two are always connected. I figured we can call her Su for short.”

In her lap, the baby’s mouth opened in a yawn, and she snuggled down into a deeper sleep. A thin smile cut across Lin’s face. She still wasn’t happy that she’d have to share everything now and that her life would be different from then on, but even she had to admit that this thing in her arms was very cute.

“Happy Birthday, Su,” Lin whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's kind of short, but I hope you all enjoy. I think I might have one more chapter in store for this fic and possibly an epilogue (if I choose to end it with the epilouge it'll be kind of bittersweet, as a fair warning) As always, please let me know what you think in the comments and let me know if there's anything you're dying for me to include in the final chapter before I finish up :)


	12. Time Moves On

The light music of the Royal Fire Nation Orchestra carried through the air mixing in harmonious tempo around the chatter of the party. With one stiff drink down and another swirling around in her hand, Toph thought it didn’t sound half bad. 

In her years as Police Chief and a daughter of the Beifong elite, she’d had to attend a number of extravagant celebrations. They weren’t the worst part of her job, but she definitely wouldn’t consider them the best either. The way she saw it, they were just opportunities for diplomats to butter each other up and pat themselves on the back for accomplishments that weren’t really theirs to begin with. None of them knew what it was like to get their hands dirty like she did. She’d put in her time patrolling the streets on top of filling out the mountains of paperwork. Not to mention raising two kids. Those officials didn’t have a clue.

Yes, diplomatic parties put a bit of a bad taste in her mouth. The almost palpable hubris permeating the air, the loud cackles from plus ones who’d had a bit too much champagne, and the fending off the occasional stray man who kept standing too close for her liking after finding out she was still single was taxing on what little patience Toph had. She somehow always ended up standing at the edge of the room and listening to Sokka chat up the guests in the way only he could. The only thing shindigs like that were good for were the free drinks.

But this wasn’t a diplomatic gathering. It was an engagement party, which made it instantly a little more bearable. 

And the icing on the cake? There were free drinks here too.

“How many is that now?” Sokka asked as he pushed his way through the crowd.

A small smile flicked across her face before she took another deep swallow.

“Not enough for you to concern yourself, Meathead,” Toph replied.

“The night is still young,” he fired back, moving closer so that she could hear him easier.

“I thought I was the police, here,” she said sourly. “Isn’t this supposed to be a celebration?”

She could feel his breathing lighten up in amusement.

“It is. A celebration of us getting old, apparently. I mean, how crazy is it that Izumi is going to be getting married soon? I remember when she was Su’s age, and I could carry her around on my shoulders,” Sokka said.

“Yeah well have you tried lifting Su lately? She’s not as light as you might think. Besides we’re not that old. Izumi’s just getting engaged young,” Toph argued before taking another sip.

“True, but I know you can’t see it, so let me describe it for you. That girl is so in love you can see it from across the room. I mean I got a case of the oogies I haven’t felt since before Aang and Katara got married.”

“I know. I tried to warn her it was a trap but that’s the thing about kids, they never listen,” Toph concluded.

The band moved to something more upbeat and the vibrations through the floor told her that almost half the crowd was moving toward the dancefloor. The melody floated between her ears and was certain to get stuck in her head later on.

“Is that Toph Beifong swinging her head to the beat?” Sokka teased.

Toph stopped herself suddenly. She hadn’t even realized she’d been doing it.

“What? No, shut up.”

“Nope, that was definitely a head sway. You were practically on the verge of a full out breakdance over here. I don’t suppose you’d accompany me to the dancefloor?” Sokka said with the hint of a laugh surrounding his words. 

Toph could feel his arm outstretched in invitation.

“I would have to have approximately three more of these before you could drag me anywhere near that dancefloor,” Toph said, lifting her drink in the air. “But, lucky for you, I can feel your date walking toward us as we speak.”

Sokka turned to search the crowd just as Suki came into view.

“Sorry to interrupt, but Toph I think you’re needed back at table 3,” the Kyoshi Warrior said.

It was the table she and her daughters were sharing with Aang, Katara, and co. She’d left for the open bar as soon as the speeches ended and hadn’t been back yet. But if they were paging her there, it could only mean one thing.

“What are the disaster siblings up to now?” Toph asked, taking the final swig from her glass.

“The girls are going at it and it looks like things might get ugly. Lin threatened to, and I quote, dunk Su’s head in the punch bowl if she didn’t shut up,” Suki reported.

“Man, I thought I raised her better. The punch bowl is so uncreative. The chocolate fountain is way more intimidating,” Toph said before placing her empty glass on a nearby table.

“Need backup?” Sokka asked.

A server strode past with a trey lifted in the air. Toph caught a glass by the stem off it with ease and swallowed something light and fruity in one gulp before sitting it beside her other empty cup.

“Nope. I can handle my own kids, thanks. You two go enjoy yourselves. And Suki,” Toph called as she walked away. “Be careful with the old man. He might break something if you dip him too hard.”

She heard Suki laugh as she wound her way through the crowds and toward the tables on the other side of the floor.

No, this certainly wasn’t a diplomatic party. If it was, Toph would be donning her usual work uniform and not the heavy ornate robes that felt like they were dragging several steps behind her. That, and if it were something for work, her daughters would be at home instead of shouting their heads off at each other in the middle of an engagement celebration.

“Just admit that you like him!” Su taunted.

“I do not, Su! Just shut up. You’re just a little kid, what do you know?” Lin shouted.

Toph released a sigh and took a seat at the otherwise empty table. She could feel the avatar and his wife dancing a few strides away, completely oblivious to the Beifong Civil War taking place at their dinner table.

“What’s going on here?” Toph asked before popping a tiny sandwich into her mouth and leaning back in her chair.

“Lin won’t admit that she wants Tenzin to ask her to dance,” Su announced smugly.

“I- I do not. Mom, tell her to shut up!” Lin yelled.

Toph crossed her arms. It used to be amusing listening to them go back and forth when they were smaller. Since Su was barely able to talk, the two got along like Cat Owls and Polar Bear Dogs, and it quickly got old. She remembered the first time Lin held her sister in her arms and for a brief moment everything felt like it might be okay, better even now that there were three of them. And it was for a while, until the novelty wore off.

Su was barely eight years old but already knew just how to press her sister’s buttons. She was as sharp-tongued as her mother and as clever as her father. It was a dangerous combination and at the tender age of fifteen, Lin was easily agitated by her.

“Spirits, I haven’t had enough to drink for this. Su, zip it. Lin, your sister’s right,” Toph said finally.

Su sat down in equal parts satisfied and annoyed.

“You’re both crazy! Mom, I can’t believe you’re siding with her. You’re the worst!” Lin bellowed before storming off.

Toph simply quirked an eyebrow toward Su who grinned smugly from her seat across the table.

“You really need to stop outing your sister like that. You know she’s wound up tighter than an elbow leech. She’s gonna have high blood pressure or something,” Toph said.

“But you said it yourself. I was right,” Su replied matter of factly.

“Yeah but that doesn’t mean you get to go around bugging her about it,” Toph said, flicking a large crumb at her.

Right on target, it hit Su square in the forehead.

“Hey!” Su protested, wiping the crumb from her dress.

“Oh, shut it, you totally deserved that,” Toph chided. “Now go get me another one of those little desserts from that table over there. The kiwi one, not the one with coconut.”

“Hmph,” Su scoffed but still did as told, stomping off from the table.

Toph rubbed her temple. How did she end up the mother of two girls who couldn’t stand each other?

Izumi’s engagement party was the first time the three of them had spent this much time together in months. As always, work demanded more of her than she could refuse. By the time she arrived home in the evenings the girls were already in their beds. There were a few nights here and there when Lin would be up late studying, but even then, they’d only share a few words before Toph passed out in her bed.

Before Lin was old enough to babysit, Toph’s daughters were always in limbo between Air Temple Island, after school programs, or sitting on the couch in her office while she went over briefings with her officers or paperwork with her secretary. 

There were times when Toph wondered if she should spend more time with them, but her job being what it was she didn’t really have that option. Republic City needed her to keep order now more than ever. The new technology boom and increase in factories brought a mass influx in population. With the introduction of widespread electricity lines across the city, people were eager to try their hand at making it in the big city, be it through the new pro-bending scene or the crime network. There were even rumors that the up and coming engineer Hiroshi something-or-other was trying to bring motored carts to the mass public.

With all that was going on, Lin and Su were just going to have to make do by themselves. They were good kids, for the most part, when they weren’t trying to beat each other to death.

_They’re strong girls. They can handle themselves_ , Toph told herself.

Besides, the days before giving birth to Lin she’d made herself a promise. She would never do to Lin and Suyin what her parents did to her. No one would ever tell them who to be. Toph knew very well the feeling of being crushed under someone else’s thumb and as long as she lived, she swore she would never let her kids come to know that feeling.

“This sure is some party, huh?” Someone said, pulling Toph from her thoughts.

The voice was deep and loud, biting at the edge of Sokka’s but more youthful and slightly rougher.

“Bumi,” Toph greeted, “Your mom said she wasn’t sure if you’d be able to make it.”

“I pulled into port this afternoon. I have to be back onboard the ship by midnight. Took a lot of convincing for them to let me come but when you have a personal invitation to the future Firelord’s engagement celebration, it’s hard for anyone to argue,” Bumi explained.

Even as a young adult, Bumi’s enthusiasm rivaled his uncle’s. He reminded Toph of him so much it was scary. She and Katara had joked that it was as if he was Sokka and Aang’s kid instead of her and Aang’s.

“Here’s your dessert,” Su said gruffly upon her return, sliding a plate on the table in front of her mother.

“Bumi, mind taking Su with you back out to sea? A few years on a ship might do her some good,” Toph joked.

She could almost feel Su scowling as she shoveled the dessert into her mouth.

“We could always use more hands on deck. It’d be helpful to have a metalbender on board, too,” Bumi said.

“See, that’s your problem. Su can’t metalbend,” Toph said with crumbs flying from her too full mouth.

“I can too!” Su argued.

Toph swallowed hard before replying, “What you did was hardly metalbending. Maybe if you listened to your sister’s critiques, you’d get it.”

Lin had improved tremendously over the years. Though Toph would never admit it, Lin was probably the most successful metalbending student she’d ever had. Meanwhile, Su showed natural talent, but when it came time for her lessons, she was even harder to get through to than Lin was. She was still young which meant there was plenty of time for advancement, but if she didn’t listen, she’d never learn anything.

“Why should I listen to her?” Su fired back.

“Lin is a really strong bender,” Bumi interjected, “Her team is projected to be in the top contenders for the tournament next week. I picked up a paper last time I was in town and her picture was on the second page.”

“Lin never told me that,” Toph frowned.

“You wouldn’t listen if she did,” Su grumbled under her breath.

Toph’s frown deepened. The song once again changed to a slower beat, one meant for partners to sway to only a breath apart from each other. I need another drink, she thought.

Bumi suddenly stooped from his chair onto one knee beside Su.

“Would the young lady Beifong wish to dance?” he said, mocking a fancy accent.

She felt Su hesitate, then take his hand.

“You two have fun,” Toph said as she stood. “I’m going to go see if I can find Lin.”

Toph had been to the Fire Nation Palace several times over the years so she counted herself relatively familiar with its layout. Her seismic sense didn’t hurt either, making it all the easier to find the nearest exit from the grand ballroom and out into the hallway.

The music was quieter there and other than a few straggling guests and the occasional worker, the corridor was relatively empty. Toph let it lead her away from the commotion of the gathering and closer to the residential section of the overly decorative palace. She only stopped when she felt a heartbeat all alone in the middle of the courtyard. 

But as she walked closer, she knew for certain that it wasn’t her daughter.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked quietly.

Zuko stood at the edge of the turtle duck pond staring into the reflection of the moon that rose silently into the sky.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in there celebrating your daughter’s engagement?” Toph pressed further.

“I am but instead I’m out here mourning the loss of her childhood,” Zuko replied, tossing a pebble into the pond which sent ripples through the reflection.

“Woah there, you’re starting to sound less like Firelord Zuko and more like angsty teen Zuko. Almost made me forget where I was for a second,” Toph joked.

She felt Zuko’s shoulders stance lighten a little like her presence calmed him, so she decided to stay.

“It’s just so hard to wrap my head around. One minute I’m changing her diaper and the next I’ve got a man in my house asking my permission to marry her,” Zuko continued.

“Do we not like him, because if not I can think of a few people in that room that’ll be willing to give him a reason to leave her alone,” Toph said, driving a fist into her open palm.

Zuko gave a heavy-hearted chuckle.

“No. He’s a good guy. Most importantly he loves her, and she loves him, which is all I could ever ask for, I suppose. Mai says I’m being too nostalgic, but it seems like it’s too fast. I’m not ready for my little girl to grow up,” he admitted.

Toph nudged his shoulder gently.

“They all gotta grow up sometime. We did, now its their turn. Izumi’s got a good head on her shoulders and everybody’s telling me how in love she looks so it must be true. Besides, it’s not like she’s going anywhere. She’s still going to need you for a long time,” Toph offered.

“You’re right,” Zuko said. “And if not, Uncle said he could always use more help at the tea shop.”

They laughed together that time. Toph had heard Iroh’s jovial laughter in the ballroom earlier. He was so proud of his nephew and even more so of Izumi. He was getting older and didn’t get around as easily as he once did, but he insisted on being one of the first ones to dance with the bride to be and judging by his footsteps, Iroh still had all the rhythm of his youth.

“So, what brought you out here?” Zuko asked her.

“Actually, I’m looking for Lin. She and Su had another spat and she stormed off. I gave her a while to cool off and now I’m coming to drag her back to the festivities,” Toph answered.

“Oh,” Zuko said, “Do you need help finding her?”

“No, I can feel where she’s sulking from here. You get back to that party. I’m sure Mai and Izumi are missing you,” Toph encouraged.

“Thanks. I think I will,” Zuko replied.

With her friend consoled, Toph turned to the task at hand. Lin was at the edge of the palace grounds brooding by her lonesome.

Unsurprisingly, Lin ignored her mother as she approached her from behind. It was the same way she acted when Toph was pregnant with Su. Like ignoring whatever she didn’t like made it go away, but unfortunately for Lin, Toph Beifong refused to be ignored.

“You gonna sit out here all night?” Toph asked, bending a column of Earth to lean her elbow against.

Lin didn’t reply. But she wasn’t the only stubborn one there.

“Listen, you can either lay around out here moping and letting Su get the satisfaction of winning or you can put on your big girl panties and join everybody else without letting your sister ruin your night,” Toph prodded.

Lin heaved an annoyed sigh. 

“She already won. You told her she was right. You sided with her.” The girl’s tone was sharp with accusation.

“Su’s a kid, and she knows how to get under your skin. Plus, all three of us can tell when someone’s lying. Su was stating the obvious so I agreed with her,” Toph replied simply.

Lin flashed a furious glare at her mother though she knew she couldn’t see it.

“It’s none of your business. Either of you,” Lin snapped.

Toph raised her palms flat in the air.

“Hey, you got me there. But, like it or not, I’m the mom here so I’ve got to do the whole motherly advice thing now so just know this hurts me more than it does you,” Toph started.

Lin groaned as if she were already in pain.

“Lin. You kick ass, kid. You make straight A’s and you take care of your sister even though she drives you crazy. And you’re my daughter which clearly means you’re a great earthbender. From what I understand, good enough to carry your team into one of the top seeds for the tournament next week. But for all that you care way too much what other kids think about you,” Toph said. “If you really do like Twinkletoes Junior in there which, spirits I don’t know why, but if you do then I say you march right back in there, snatch him up by those dainty little airbender robes, and tell him that he is going to dance with you or you’ll bury him under a rock.”

The words came out quickly and by the end of her little pep talk, Toph was nearly out of breath.

Her daughter stayed quiet for a spell, like she was soaking in Toph’s words one at a time. She stayed that way so long Toph wondered if she had her fingers in her ears, but then Lin finally rose from her spot on the ground and turned to face her.

“Who told you about the tournament?” Lin asked.

“That’s what you got from all that? Really? I’m seriously trying to do the whole motherly speech thing here and you zoned in on the least important section of that speech,” Toph fussed.

Lin crossed her arms stubbornly.

“It was Bumi,” Toph answered. “He said it was in the paper, which I might remind you, I can’t read by the way. You can’t expect me to just know stuff like that. I can do a lot of things, but I’m not a psychic.”

“Yeah, well, you never asked. Anyways, I don’t even know how we’ll do yet. We could get in the first round and lose horribly,” Lin argued.

“Nah. You’re a Beifong. Beifong’s don’t lose,” Toph said proudly.

Lin went quiet again, like she was waiting for something else to say.

“So, are you gonna do it?” Toph asked.

“Do what?” Lin replied.

“March up to Tenzin and show him who’s boss? Did you not hear anything I said?” Toph pushed.

Toph felt Lin’s chest release, like she was finally opening up.

“It’s not that simple. I’m not even sure if I do like him, and I’m definitely not sure if he likes me. I don’t want to ruin things,” Lin admitted. 

A thin smile covered Toph’s lips. Lin really was her daughter.

“Look, you of all people know that I’m not the best person to give relationship advice, so I’m not even going to try. I can’t guarantee that Tenzin likes you, and I can’t answer if you like him for you. That’s something you’re going to have to figure out on your own, but luckily you don’t have to figure it out tonight. Sometimes you just have to take chances. You’re young. You’re going to make mistakes. Hell, I still make them every day. But you’ll never know if you don’t try,” Toph said. “So, get your ass back in there.”

Lin didn’t say anything and Toph had finally had enough.

“Or don’t,” she said throwing her arms in the air. “Stay out here for all I care, but don’t expect me to stick around. I’m going to get another drink.”

Toph had made it all of five steps toward the ballroom before she felt Lin jogging behind her.

“I’m coming too,” Lin said.

A smile tugged at Toph’s lip. _There she is_ , Toph thought, _that’s my girl_.

Lin hadn’t been a little girl in quite some time. Sokka was right, her kids were growing up quicker than she realized they would, but deep down Toph always knew her daughters were stronger than they seemed. 

There was a time when motherhood seemed like a nightmare and days where it still did. The afternoons when Toph returned to an apartment turned upside down from one of Lin and Su’s many fights, those first few sleepless months filled with the wails of a crying infant, and the guilt filled dreams that she was failing them by not being enough. 

But for everything, all the pain and tears, bruises and arguments, Toph was reminded that while they were unconventional and, for all intents and purposes, mildly dysfunctional, they were still a family. And for someone who had spent years wondering if real families, the kind that were loving and accepting, really existed, Toph Beifong decided she and her girls were more than that. 

What had started off years ago as a mistake, a development that had completely blindsided her and brought her plans to crumble in front of her like sand had turned into something so much more. 

Sure, Lin was a little too uptight. She took things way too seriously and closed people off. And Su, spirits, she was a real piece of work. She was too cheeky for her own good and pushed the limits of everyone’s patience. 

But damn it, those were her girls and they meant more to her than she thought anything ever could. So, for better or for worse, they were stuck with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last main chapter of this little fic. An epilogue is nearly complete and will be uploaded soon. Fair warning that it ends on a rather bittersweet note, but I just couldn't leave it out. I hope you all enjoy.


	13. Epilogue

A long time ago, Aang once told Toph that the way they found her all those years ago was in a vision. That they were drawn to the Swamp by a rouge tornado, and the avatar saw her running through the trees giggling like she’d just been told the world’s funniest joke with the animal of her family’s seal flying over her shoulder.

Part of her thought that he was crazy, but after everything she’d experienced in her lifetime, Toph knew better than to write it off completely. Gaoling, the village she grew up in, was relatively close to the Foggy Bottom Swamp.

Naturally, she’d overheard stories of people wandering in and coming out haunted by the spirits of lost loved ones. Any other child would have been terrified at the prospect, but not Toph Beifong. Hard to be afraid of seeing spirits when you couldn’t see at all.

If you weren’t scared of that, then the Swamp wasn’t all that bad. It was just mud and murky water fitted with a thick web of towering cypress trees. And aside from the Swampbenders, the only living creature to come across was the occasional frog squirrel or catgator. Perfect for someone looking to get away from the world for a while. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of Republic City and just the right place for its former Chief of Police.

Toph was getting old, and she very well knew it. If the existence of a whole slew of grandkids didn’t give it away, the ache in her knees as she climbed to the base of the Banyan Grove Tree did.

It had been years since she’d last been to the city she once called home, the one where she gave birth to her children and made an entirely different life for herself than the one she had planned. The way Toph saw it, her time at the reins were up and the younger generation would either have to step up and take over or fall off the saddle and get crushed. She decided a long time ago that meant stepping out of the way for her eldest daughter to take on her role.

“Not that that was ever what you really wanted,” Toph said as she found a comfortable spot on one of the tree’s large roots.

Lin had a natural talent for it, sure. After all she’d been practically raised in the Police Station and joined the force as soon as she graduated from school. Whether or not she would do a damn good job was never even in question, at least not from her mother. The presses, however, were always looking for a way to compare the two when Lin first started off and in her retirement with two fully grown daughters, Toph realized that there wasn’t really much connecting her to Republic City anymore. So, she left.

After the incident with Su, Lin didn’t act all that sorry to see Toph go. Even after all that time, Lin still failed to see her reasoning behind sending Su away instead of toting her off to a jail cell. 

Even now a deep line creased between the old earthbender’s forehead.

“Let me guess, you’re still pouring yourself into the job and pretending like you don’t care if you don’t have anything to come home to at night,” Toph thought aloud as she pressed her palm to the tree below.

She tapped into the roots that stretched across every bit of land the Earth had to offer. Specifically, she searched for Republic City, for the familiar desk she once sat at that now belonged to Lin. And there she was, filing through another stack of paperwork, no doubt rubbing a headache away with the hand not holding a pen.

Not far away, Tenzin was walking along the shore of Air Temple Island with a familiar steady gait followed closely by the light footsteps of his three children. Toph grimaced, recalling the memory of Lin’s inconsolable and shut off state the days after the two finally broke things off. 

It might be a little selfish of her to think that Lin’s not wanting kids was entirely due to her own poor parenting, but part of her knew the notion might not be far off. After all, Toph had once been the same way, steely with conviction that having kids was never in the cards and she never wanted it to be. Of course, that inevitably changed. Nevertheless, Toph still harbored some guilt deep in the back of her mind for at least being a solid factor in Lin’s choice to never have kids. There was a part of her that was always left to wonder if Lin would’ve been happier if she were raised by someone else. Someone with a knack for affection instead of the straightforward parenting style she’d employed for her daughters’ entire lives. Someone like Katara.

“Guess I should probably check on Sweetness,” Toph said. 

The Waterbender had stuck mainly to the Southern Water Tribe since Aang’s passing. It took some searching, but finally Toph felt the vibrations of her heartbeat slow and sure echoing through the soles of her feet as she stood atop a wooden stage of sorts. She was just standing there, watching something.

Toph focused harder, willing a bigger picture to form in her head. Just a few stretches in front of Katara someone was fighting. Their footsteps were strong and fast, bursting with a brazen kind of confidence she was certain she’d felt before. 

“The new avatar,” Toph concluded aloud.

She was one of the first ones to be informed of the new avatar’s discovery almost 13 years ago. A four year old girl from the Southern Water Tribe was going around flaunting the use of three elements like it was nothing. 

“Sounds like she’s making Twinkletoes look like a wimp,” Toph said all those years ago. 

Deep down the wound of losing one of her closest friends was still relatively fresh at the time, but she didn’t let anyone else know it. Katara was crushed, which meant Toph had to play the role she always had. She had to be as strong, unflinching, and level as the earth she bent beneath her, not only for Katara’s sake, but for the sake of her own sanity.

The way her enhanced seismic sense showed it, the new avatar was close to mastering all three elements but airbending. 

Katara was insistent that she be the one to teach Korra waterbending and asked Toph to do the same for earthbending, but she swatted down the notion.

“I’ve had enough of training the Avatar for one lifetime,” She’d said. 

Undoubtedly, Toph would have been the ideal teacher, even extending the option of learning metalbending to the agenda, but she was adamant that Katara find someone else to do it. In reality, Toph was tired of failing kids. She didn’t need anyone else blaming her for screwing up their lives, thank you very much, but somehow, she got the feeling that it didn’t matter anyway, that their paths would cross eventually. That is, if Toph didn’t kick the bucket first.

She sighed, pulling her focus away from the south and doubling down on it much farther north. There, blossoming from the earth like a cluster of great metal flowers was the city of Zaofu designed by none other than Suyin herself. 

On occasion Toph would visit there, more frequently when her grandchildren were younger, but still wandered her way there from time to time. They were growing older now. There was Bataar Jr, the oldest born with just as much natural curiosity as his father and Huan who was, to put it as nicely as she could manage, eccentric. 

During her last visit he was defacing the name of metalbending with his latest so-called artwork. It was the spitting image of Sokka’s handiwork from the way it had been described to her. For better or worse, his imprint was handed down to Su’s children in various ways, in Junior with his skill for inventions and Huan in his odd tastes.

Opal, the only girl of her grandchildren, was secretly her favorite. She was sweet and kind, not in the sickening way but the genuine kind that was passed down likely from Katara’s influence. Just another way Sokka unknowingly contributed to her family line. Finally, there were the twins, Wing and Wei. The two boys were the youngest and most rambunctious of the group. Their competitive nature reminded her of herself at their age. They reveled in her tales from her Earth Rumble days and reenacted the stories as often as possible with a few metalbending additions.

Now, Su sat at morning breakfast with all her kids and her husband who, all told, Toph still considered a pansy. 

“You sure that _this_ is the one?” Toph had asked Su the day of her wedding.

“Yes, Mom. He’s everything I want,” Su insisted.

It took everything in Toph not to gag at the sappy statement, but admittedly she was glad that at least one of her daughters had found a way to be happy beyond fulfillment of a job. 

While Su took a rather unconventional route in finding that joy, Toph was happy that she was so insistent that her mother still be a part of her life. After everything that happened, Toph couldn’t blame either of her children for shutting her out completely if they wanted.

For the most part, Lin did. She shut both of them out, really. Su even reached out to her on several occasions with the intention of making amends, but Lin never even gave her the time of day.  
As much as she hated it, Toph understood that too. But even she could tell her younger daughter had changed. She wasn’t that brash and selfish little girl who sought attention even if it came from punishment. Somewhere over the years she found her peace, and the two of them had gotten closer over time now that they were both adults.

Eventually, Toph even revealed to her the identity of her father. At first, she was concerned that it might undo all the progress they’d made at mending things back together, but Su took the knowledge in stride.

“Did- did he know?” she asked. 

Toph could feel the pain in her daughter’s voice, and it made her chest hurt.

“No,” Toph answered honestly. “I always told myself I’d tell him eventually, but I could never bring myself to do it. And then . . . well.” _Then he was gone_.

It was that guilt that finally pushed Toph to exclude herself from society, to make her home from a swamp so riddled with boggy land and tales of spirits that no one would come looking for her. 

But before she did, she forced herself to do something. She made the long trek down to the Southern Water Tribe on the first anniversary of Sokka’s death to visit his memorial. Katara met her there and Toph knew what she had to do.

“He was Su’s dad, you know,” she said bluntly. 

That was the only way she knew how to do it. If she couldn’t tell him, it was only right that she tell his sister. 

Toph expected Katara to get angry, to swear her off from ever visiting Sokka’s memorial again, and to curse her for keeping his daughter a secret from him. 

But she didn’t. In fact, she didn’t act surprised at all.

“I always had a feeling,” the older waterbender replied simply. Though Toph couldn’t see it, there was a melancholy smile covering her lips.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Toph asked.

“Because it wasn’t for me to decide. If you didn’t tell him, you must’ve had a good enough reason for doing so,” Katara said.

“How do you know that? How do you know I wasn’t just being selfish?” Toph pressed.

“Because you cared way too much about him to do that,” Katara said, placing a hand on Toph’s shoulder. “Suyin’s had her rough patches, but eventually, she found her way. Sokka would be proud of how she turned out and whether he knew it or not, he still got to be a part of his daughter’s life. That’s all that matters.”

The frigid air cut through Toph’s coat. It was so cold, she wondered if the tears that fell from her face turned to ice before they hit the snow below.

“Yeah,” she said, “I guess so.”

There were days when the guilt felt faded, reduced to the back parts of her brain a little closer to being forgotten and others when it was so bad she could only wander through the muddy waters of the swamp hoping her heart would just give up on beating.

But isolation wasn’t the only reason why she chose to live out her retirement in the swamp. Just like the legends she’d heard as a child, it had a strange and powerful connection to the ones you love. The ones you’ve lost. 

And on some nights, when Toph sat beside the fire boiling herself a pot of tea and letting the soft earth fill the spaces between her fingers, she could hear it. 

His voice, reminding her that he wasn’t really there but never really left. She could almost feel his frame hovering across from her, close yet tauntingly far away.

Like the seasons, the cycle of the avatar continued on living thousands of lives and being reborn at the end of each. Toph Beifong wasn’t sure what lay on the other side of death for people like her, but maybe if they were all reborn the same way the avatar was, things would turn out differently.

She sat, staring at the darkness she’d known her entire life and smiled into it. 

“Maybe in our next life, Snoozles,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the grand finale. Thanks to all who left kudos, comments, or even gave this fic a shot. I appreciate it more than you know. This story was originally just something I had rolling around in my brain and finally worked up the courage to post, and, I have to say, I haven't regretted it in the slightest. It's been so fun sharing it and interacting with others who took a chance on reading it. In the end, I hope you enjoyed everything or, at the very least, it was a brief refuge from the crazy existence we're all sharing right now. Thank you to everyone who has stuck around with me on this little journey. I have plans to work on another fic very soon centering around teen Lin and Tenzin, so if you like what you read here, I hope you can look forward to it :)
> 
> \- Truliest and Dearliest,  
> Misery and Co.


End file.
